































































































i 



THE 


Little School Mothers. 


A STORY FOR GIRLS. 


BY 

L. T. MEADE, 

Author of “The Palace Beautiful,” “A Sweet Girl Graduate,” 
“ Polly,” Etc. 



PHILADELPHIA 

DAVID McKAY, PUBLISHER 

610 South Washington Square 


LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Cooles Received 

JUN 10 \90r 

Copynrht Entry 

&fan 9. ' 9*7 

CUSS £1 XXc„ No, 

/ 70 6 Vf- 

COPY B. 


Copyright, 1907, by David McKay. 


CONTENTS 

Book I 

CHAPTER 

I. The Girls of the Third Form 

II. Robina 

III. Developments 

IV. An Unusual Prize 

V. Explained 

VI. Beguiled by Promises 

VII. The Choice 

VIII. Consequences 

IX. A Visit to the Fair . . . , 

X. The Gipsies 

XI. The Terror 

XII. In the High Woods , 

Book II 

I. A Delightful Proposal . . . 

II. Robina at Home . 

III. A Surprise 

IV. The Pony Conquers. 

V. Harriet's Jealousy is Rekindled . 

VI. An Eventful Morning . 

VII. Mr. Durrant’s New Plan 

VIII. Mr. Durrant Visits Brown House 

IX. A Discovery 

X. Harriet Pleads . 

XI. On Board the “Sea-Gull” . 

XII. Edged Tools . 

XIII. Robina’s Decision . 

XIV. Patience Interferes. 

XV. Anxious Times 

XVI. Jane Confesses 

XVII. Virtue Rewarded . . . 


PACK 
. I 
. 12 

. 20 

• 3 2 

• 39 
. 48 

• 59 

. 70 

. 77 
. 89 

• 97 
. 104 


. 114 
. 121 

. 131 

. 140 
. 148 
. 156 
. 171 
. 187 
. 194 
. 206 
. 214 
. 226 
. 240 

. 254 

. 270 
. 282 
. 290 



# 


I 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

BOOK I 

CHAPTER I 

THE GIRLS OF THE THIRD FORM 

Robina Starling will arrive at the school this 
evening,” said Mrs. Burton. “ She is twelve years 
old, and has never been at school before. I want you 
girls of the third form to take her under your charge. 
Frederica and Patience Chetwold, do you hear? Har- 
riet Lane and Jane Bush, I expect great tact and con- 
sideration; don’t forget. And as to you, dear Rose, 
and you, Cecil and Vivian Amberley, I know be- 
forehand that you are always sweet and considerate 
to those a little younger and a little more ignorant 
than yourselves. Robina has been sent from home 
because of her mother’s illness. She is quite a little 
home bird, and I have no doubt will be sorry for 
herself. I have given her people to understand that 
she will be very happy at school, and I expect you 
girls of the third form to help me to carry out my 
prognostications. Now then, I think that is all. We 
will begin our usual lessons. Miss Sparke, will you 

a xu 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


take the third form girls for their history? Miss 
Devigny, the sixth form are waiting for you in the 
blue parlor.” 

A minute later the several girls of Abbeyfield 
School had dispersed to their different classrooms, 
and the great hall in which they had assembled for 
prayers, and afterwards to hear Mrs. Burton's re- 
marks with regard to Robina Starling, was empty. A 
busy hum of eager voices might have been heard is- 
suing from the different classrooms. It was the sub- 
dued hum caused by young people kept in complete 
order and actively engaged in following the pursuit 
of knowledge. 

Abbeyfield School was situated in the neighbor- 
hood of the New Forest, and was within half an hour 
by train of Bournemouth. The time was midsummer, 
and the holidays were not far ahead. The school 
was a very select one, and did not consist of more 
than twenty pupils. There was the third form for 
the girls already mentioned: Frederica and Patience 
Chetwold, Harriet Lane, and Jane Bush, and the 
three Amberleys. There was the first form, where 
the little children played and learned a little and were 
happy — there were only three little children now in 
the first form — and then there was the sixth form, 
where the girls who were considered grown up pur- 
sued their studies. Here might be seen grave Con- 
stance Amberley, the sister of Rose and Cecil and 
Vivian ; here, also, were Julia Price and Agnes Win- 
ter, and several more, all well-behaved girls anxious 
to do their duty and to take advantage of the many 
excellent opportunities offered to them at Abbeyfield. 

There were, to all appearance, no really naughty 
girls in the school, although it is true that Harriet 
Lane and Jane Bush were not quite so much liked 
[ 2 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


as their fellows. Still, harmony was the order of the 
hour, and no young people looked happier than these 
as they went two by two into their pews to the old 
church on Sunday and appeared now and then at a 
fashionable flower show at Bournemouth, or — best 
time of all — played merrily in the fields and lanes 
which surrounded Abbeyfield. 

On the day when Mrs. Burton had announced the 
arrival of Robina Starling, there was to be a picnic, 
to which every member of the school had been invited. 
It was a special picnic given by Miss Devigny, the 
lady who superintended the studies of the sixth form 
girls. She was to take them to a well-known place 
called Mark Ash, about six miles away. They were 
to have a picnic tea, and were not to return home 
until late. Mrs. Burton would not accompany them, 
but Miss Sparke and Miss Devigny were considered 
quite chaperones enough. They would drive to Mark 
Ash in two wagonettes, and every heart was pit-a-pat 
with excitement at the thought of their happy after- 
noon. 

Miss Devigny was the sort of teacher whom all 
girls idolize. It was not that she was exactly beau- 
tiful, nor perhaps especially clever, but she had that 
indescribable attribute which is best known by the 
word “charm.” Without any apparent effort on her 
part, she charmed all those with whom she came in 
contact. Even the dullest pupil brightened and did 
her best under Miss Devigny’s influence; even the 
most sulky became good-tempered, and the most se- 
cretive became open and aboveboard. The great 
inducement for the little girls of the third form to 
struggle hard and conquer the difficulties of English, 
French, and German was the hope that they would 
be moved into Miss Devigny’s class. To work with 
f3l 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


her in the blue parlor was as good as a holiday — 
so the girls who were there already affirmed, and so 
all, without a single exception, believed. 

Now, however, there was a new topic of interest. 
Something very wonderful had occurred. The third 
form girls were to receive a new companion. For a 
girl to arrive at the school so late in the term was 
itself rather remarkable, but for a girl to come and 
be immediately placed, as it were, in their charge; 
for a girl to be made over to them so that they alone 
were to be in a measure responsible for her well-be- 
ing and happiness, was a state of things which at 
once dazzled and perplexed them. 

During recess that morning the girls of the third 
form met in a little group to discuss the situation. 
Even the sixth form girls looked at them with a cer- 
tain envy, and thought it somewhat strange of Mrs. 
Burton to put this responsibility upon the young ones. 
The sixth form girls were, of course, much too grand 
to interfere, but they also were interested in Robina. 

“ She must be a sort of bird/’ said Frederica. 
“ Think of her funny name — Robina Starling.” 

“ We must not laugh at her,” said Patience ; “ we 
must be very careful about her. I wonder at what 
end of the dormitory she will sleep ? ” 

“ There is an empty bed at the far end near me,” 
said Harriet Lane. 

“ Oh, she won’t be put there, Harry ; don’t you 
make any mistake,” said Jane Bush. “ She is going 
to be petted and fussed over — I can see that. I know 
quite well what will happen. She will have the center 
bed under the window — that’s the nicest bed of all. 
You’re in it now, Rose.” Here Jane laughed. “ Well, 
you’ll have to turn out ; the bird will want it ; see if 
I am not right.” 


[ 4 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Don’t be nasty,” said Rose. “ If I have to turn 
out, I don’t mind, not one bit. Poor little thing ! She 
has never been at school before, and she is twelve 
years old. It’s rather nice to have the charge of her; 
don’t you think so, girls ? ” 

“Yes,” said they all, except Harriet and Jane. 

“I do wonder what she will be like?” said Cecil 
Amberley. 

“ I know,” cried Harriet. “ You mark my words, 
girls.” Here she pushed herself forward in a silly, 
aggravating way she had. “ You mark my words. 
There is something queer about that Robina. Why 
should we receive her i.i the sort of manner Mrs. 
Burton seems to expect? Why should we be so 
precious good to her? She must be a weakling; per- 
haps she is deformed, or has a squint.” 

“ Oh ! Harriet, you don’t think so ! ” said Vivian 
Amberley, the youngest of the four sisters, and in 
consequence the most petted. “ I can’t bear girls 
with squints,” she added. 

“ But that would be better than having a hunch- 
back,” said Jane. 

“ She is sure to have something,” continued Har- 
riet. “ It may not be either of these, but something. 
She is small, and ugly, and frightened — that I am cer- 
tain of. Oh, of course we’ll have to be good to her; 
but at the same time, what I say is this, girls: we’ll 
have to let that young ’un know at once that she is 
not to have her own way about everything.” 

“ There is something in what you say,” remarked 
Patience Chetwold ; “ and although I never quite care 
for your sort of tone, Harriet, yet I think, too, we 
must not let the girl rule us all. She won’t love us a 
bit if we spoil her.” 

“ Of course she won’t,” said Frederica. 

[ 5 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“Well, I am going to spoil her,” said Rose; “and 
I know for certain she is not a bit like what you say, 
you horrid thing,” and she darted an angry glance at 
Harriet Lane. “ She has a very pretty name, to be- 
gin with, and I am certain she is just a dear.” 

“ Don’t let’s quarrel about her,” said Jane. 
“ So far we are not a quarreling lot. It would 
be too bad if that Robina started quarreling in the 
school ” 

“ Oh, I say, girls, there’s the bell ! Let’s go in. 
Let’s race to the door. Who’ll be first ? ” 

“ I say I,” cried Harriet. “ Who’ll follow ? Come 
along, Jane Bush ! ” 

The picnic; was great fun. The girls said so after- 
wards. There was not a single flaw anywhere ; there 
was no sort of dissension in the school ; the children 
were well behaved, they did not quarrel. It is true 
that Jane Bush could quarrel if there was anyone to 
quarrel with, and it is true that Harriet could be 
nasty, and even spiteful, were the occasion to offer. 
But then it did not offer. When there happen to 
be in a form two girls like the Chetwolds, and three 
girls like the Amberleys, two somewhat disagreeable 
girls have very little chance of making their presence 
felt. Accordingly, no one disputed for the favor- 
ite place near Miss Devigny, and no one rebelled or 
made nasty remarks when Jane Bush secured the last 
morsel of cream blancmange for herself ; no one even 
whispered “ Greedy pig ! ” but everyone was as lady- 
like and charming as possible. 

Miss Devigny turned to Miss Sparke, and said, un- 
der her breath: 

“ I really never saw such well-behaved little girls ; 
they do you great credit, Miss Sparke.” 

“ They are naturally amiable,” replied Miss Sparke ; 

[ 6 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ and I only trust things will continue in as great 
harmony as at present after Robina Starling arrives.” 

“ Do you know anything about the child ? ” asked 
Miss Devigny, dropping her voice and coming closer 
to the other teacher. 

“ Not much, except that she is too troublesome at 
home to remain there any longer. Her mother is 
very far from well, and little Robina has never learned 
obedience. Dear Mrs. Burton is not afraid of her on 
that account, however, and she believes that there will 
be no finer discipline for her than making her over, 
as it were, to the third form.” 

“ Perhaps so,” said Miss Devigny, a little doubt- 
fully ; “ but I am not so sure on that point,” she added. 

The girls were now playing hide-and-seek in the 
wood, and while the two governesses were talking, 
quite unperceived by them a little head peeped out 
from amongst a great mass of underwood, and two 
bright, mischievous black eyes looked keenly for a 
minute at Miss Devigny, and then the head popped 
back again before anyone could see. The governesses 
were quite unaware that one of the most troublesome 
children in the third form had overheard them. This 
child was no less a person than Jane Bush. 

Jane was a little girl who had never known a 
mother’s care. She had been sent to this nice school 
when she was ten years of age. She had been at 
Abbeyfield now for nearly two years She was a small 
girl for her age, somewhat stoutly built. She had very 
black eyes, and short black hair, which she always 
wore like a mop sticking up all over her funny round 
head. She was a perfect contrast to her own special 
friend and ally, Harriet Lane. Harriet was a tall, 
lanky, pale child. She had exceedingly light blue 
eyes, a large mouth, somewhat prominent teeth, and 

[7] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


thin, hay-colored hair. She was not at all pretty, 
Harriet had made up her mind on the subject of her 
own looks long ago. 

“ I must be something, 1 ” she thought. “ If I am not 
pretty, I must at least be out of the common. I will 
make people see that I am awfully clever. It’s just 
as nice to be clever as to be pretty.” 

Perhaps Harriet was more clever than her com- 
panions. She certainly did manage to impress the 
others with her power of learning French and German, 
with the excellent way in which she studied her 
“ pieces ” for the pianoforte, and with her really pretty 
little drawings, which, in her opinion, were almost 
works of art. 

Harriet, in her heart of hearts, voted the Chetwolds 
dull and the three Amberleys molly-coddles. 

“ They are always fussing about their throats or 
having damp feet or getting a little bit of a chill,” she 
remarked on one occasion in a very superior tone to 
Jane. “ I have no patience with girls who are always 
thinking of themselves; they just do it to be petted. 
As to that Vivian, she knows quite well that if she 
manages to cry a little and put her hand to her throat, 
she won’t have any more lessons for the rest of the 
day.” 

“ I call Vivian a horrid little cheat, although she is 
thought such a model,” said Jane. 

“ Oh, I hate models,” said Harriet. “ Give me a 
naughty girl, by preference.” 

“ There are no naughty girls in this school,” said 
Jane ; “ they are everyone of them as good as good. 
It’s awfully dull,” she added. “ Even you and I can’t 
be naughty, Harriet ; for there’s no one to be naughty 
with.” 

These were the sentiments of these two really 

[ 8 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


troublesome young people when they started on their 
picnic. In the course of that same evening, when the 
sun was thinking of setting, and the slight summer 
breeze had dropped away, and there was a perfect calm 
all over nature and a serene pale blue sky overhead, 
then Jane Bush met Harriet Lane and, clutching her 
by the arm, said : 

“ Oh, Harry, Harry ! What do you think ? ” 

“ I am sure I don’t know,” said Harriet, who 
looked taller and more lanky than ever. “ I wish 
you wouldn’t get so frightfully excited, Jane. You 
quite take my breath away.” 

“ I have got news for you,” said Jane, making her 
mouth into a round “ O,” and forming a trumpet for 
it with her hand. “ News ! ” she repeated. “ Won- 
derful grand news ! ” and now she managed to shout 
the words into Harriet’s ear. 

“ Don’t deafen me,” said Harriet. “ I can’t help it 
if you have news. I don’t suppose there is anything in 
your news,” she continued. 

“ You are as cross as two sticks, Harry,” said 
Jane; “but you won’t be when you hear what I have 
got to say. Come along; I must tell you before we 
start for home, and they are putting the horses to the 
wagonettes already. Let’s run down this glade. 
Let’s be very quick, or they’ll stop us. I see old 
Sparkes coming back as fast as she can, and she’ll 
begin to call us all to the top of that little mound. It 
is there we are to wait for the wagonettes. Come 
—quick!” 

Harriet, although she liked Jane, had a secret sort 
of contempt for her. She could be naughty, of 
course, but she was not clever. Harriet admired 
nothing but talent. She believed herself to be a sort 
of genius. 


[9] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ I don’t suppose you have anything to tell me,” 
she repeated ; “ but I’ll come if you want me to. 
See, I’ll race you — one, two, three ! I’ll get first to 
that tall tree at the end of the glade.” 

In a race with Harriet, Jane was nowhere, for Har- 
riet’s legs were so long and she was so light that 
she flew almost like the wind over the ground. She 
easily reached the meeting-place first, and Jane fol- 
lowed her, panting, red in the face, and a little cross. 

“ You did take the wind out of me,” she said. 
“ Oh, oh, oh ! ” 

She pressed her hand to her side. 

“ I cannot speak at all for a minute — I — I — can’t 
— tell you my news. Oh, you have winded me — you 
have ! ” 

“ Don’t talk, then,” said Harriet, who was leaning 
comfortably with her back against a tree; while Jane, 
round as a ball and crimson in the face, panted a little 
way off. By-and-by, however, Jane got back her 
voice. 

“ I’ve found out something about the new ’un,” she 
said, “ that bird thing, who will be here to-night. I 
was hiding down in the brushwood, just by the big 
oak, and you were all looking for me; but I buried 
myself under a holly tree, and no one could see even 
a squint of me, however hard one looked. They — 
didn’t know I was there.” 

“ Who do you mean by ‘ they ’ ? ” interrupted 
Harriet. 

“ Sparke and Devigny,” said Jane. “ Oh, of 
course I am fond of Miss Devigny, but I can’t be 
bothered to ‘ Miss ’ her when I’m in no end of a hurry. 
Well, they talked, and it was all about the new ’un. 
She is not a model; that’s one comfort. She is so 
desperately naughty she has been sent from home — 
[ 10 ] 




* ‘ Who do you mean by ‘they ’? ’ ’ interrupted Harriet. (See page 10) 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


sort of expelled, you know — sort of disgraced for 
life ; a nice sort of creature to come here ! And we’re 
to mold her. What is to ‘ mold ’ a body, Har- 
riet?” 

“ To make them like ourselves, I suppose,” said 
Harriet, whose eyes sparkled over this intelligence. 

“ That is what Sparke said ; she hopes everything 
for the bird from our influence. Isn’t it fun? Isn’t 
it great? I am quite excited! See here now: think 
what larks we’ll have with a squint-eyed, hunchbacked, 
very naughty girl. Oh, won’t it be larks!” 

“ She may be a nuisance, there is no saying,” re- 
marked Harriet. 

“Why, aren’t you delighted, Harriet? I am.” 

“ Can’t say,” answered Harriet. “ I only hope,” 
she added, “ that whatever else she is, she is stupid. 
I don’t want any clever girls in the same form with 
me. Now, let’s go back, Jane.” 

“ You don’t seem at all obliged to me for telling 
you such a wonderful piece of news,” said Jane. 

“ I am not. We’d have found it all out for our- 
selves in no time, and you should never listen — you 
know you shouldn’t.” 

“ Oh, Harriet, you won’t tell on me — you promise 
you won’t?” 

“ I ? Of course not, silly. Now let’s be quick. I 
hear Sparkie shouting. Let’s run back. Oh, I am 
glad I have got long legs ! ” 


CHAPTER II 


ROBINA 

Robina Starling was waiting all by herself in the 
school parlor. Mrs. Burton had received her, and 
had been very nice to the small girl. She had talked 
to her affectionately, and even kissed her, and had 
herself taken her to the dormitory where the girls of 
the third form slept. She had shown her the little 
cubicle which was to be all her own, and said that she 
felt quite certain Robina would be happy at school. 

“ There is no unhappy girl in my school,” she said, 
“ and if you are not as gay as a lark and as bright as 
the sunshine, you will be the first discontented girl 
who ever came to Abbeyfield. Now, dear, your 
things will be unpacked for you by Preston ; but, in 
the meantime, you might brush your hair and wash 
your hands; then you can come down to me. We 
shall have tea together this first night. Afterwards, I 
will take you to the parlor, where you can wait for 
your companions.” 

Mrs. Burton left the dormitory as she spoke, and 
Robina stood there all alone. When she found herself 
quite alone, she blinked her eyes hard two or three 
times, then, tossing back her great mane of thick 
brown hair, said under her breath, “ Now I am better.” 
Then she proceeded to investigate the room. 

There were eight beds in the room, and it was, of 
[ 12 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Course, very large. This dormitory, occupied by the 
third form girls, was perhaps the most beautiful bed- 
room it was possible to see. Each girl’s little division, 
or cubicle, was quite as large as an ordinary small 
bedroom. It was curtained off, and was completely 
furnished within with every requirement that a small 
girl could desire. There was, to begin with, a very 
pretty wash-hand stand with rows of wide, deep 
drawers beneath, and over the stand was a looking- 
glass. The wash-hand stand, with its drawers and 
glass, was so placed that a girl could see her face 
nicely. There was a little toilet table without a glass, 
and there was a deep cupboard in the wall full of 
shelves at one side and a hanging press at the other. 
The floor of the little cubicle was carpeted with pretty 
felt, and there were curtains to match at the windows. 

Robina found herself in one of the most charming 
of the eight cubicles. Each cubicle was arranged with 
a different color, and Robina’s was of a very delicate 
shade of mauve; the paint was white and the decora- 
tions mauve; the felt carpet was mauve, the curtains 
were mauve, and the little bed had a French canopy 
over it of mauve and white curtains tied back with 
broad mauve ribbons. There was also a mauve silk 
couvrepied on the bed, so that altogether the effect was 
most charming. 

Robina was not, perhaps, a shy girl; and, having 
quickly taken in what her own cubicle contained, she 
marched into the others. Each cubicle was exactly 
like its fellow, except that its coloring was different: 
some were all in pink, some all in blue, some again in 
red and white, some again in palest primrose. 

“ I have the prettiest,” thought Robina ; “ not that 
I care.” 

She now looked out of her window. The cubicle 
[ 13 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


next to hers had no window, so she was highly privi- 
leged; but she was not in a mood to notice this at 
present. She stood quite still, gazing steadily out at 
the view. Her face was peculiar for so young a child, 
and had a look of power about it which would distin- 
guish it all through life, and make people inclined to 
look twice at her. It was not exactly a beautiful face, 
but it arrested attention. The little nose was short, 
and perfectly straight; the brows thick; the forehead 
broad and very white. The eyes were good, but of a 
nondescript color ; so that one moment you spoke 
of them as brown, at another as blue, at another as 
gray. At night, they looked very black, and in times 
of emotion they would sparkle in quite a dangerous 
way. Robina’s mouth was well cut, but a little large. 
She had a clear skin that was somewhat pale, and was 
a square-built child, neither especially tall nor especi- 
ally short for her age. 

Having completed her toilet — not with any par- 
ticular view to being tidy or making herself charming 
— she went downstairs. A maid directed her to Mrs. 
Burton’s sitting-room, where she and her mistress had 
tea. 

During tea-time, Mrs. Burton did what she could 
to draw Robina out. But this was not at all an easy 
task. Robina did not want to be drawn ; and she was 
the sort of child whom it was absolutely difficult to 
force out of the way in which she wished to go. Mrs. 
Burton tried her on the subject of her sick mother; 
but although Robina did blink her eyes twice in a 
rather suspicious manner, she replied quite calmly, say- 
ing that her mother was always an invalid and could 
not stand noise. 

“ I am noisy,” said Robina, “ so that is why I have 
been sent to you. Did you know that? ” 

[14] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“Yes,” replied Mrs. Burton. 

“ Do you expect me to be very quiet here ? ” con- 
tinued Robina. 

“ In play-time,” answered Mrs. Burton, “ you can 
be as noisy as you like.” 

“ But when I am in the mood I am always noisy,” 
said Robina. 

“ We don’t have moods here,” replied Mrs. Burton, 
whereupon Robina stretched out her hand and helped 
herself without asking to a large piece of cake. She 
ate it almost greedily, stuffing great pieces into her 
mouth. 

Mrs. Burton was determined that no discipline 
should begin that evening, so she turned now to the 
subject of lessons. What did Robina know? Noth- 
ing, it seemed, and yet in a way everything. 

“ I have read lots,” answered that young lady 
calmly ; “ but they couldn’t manage me about my les- 
sons ; that was another reason why they sent me here. 
Did you know that ? ” 

“ Yes ; I have heard it,” replied Mrs. Burton. 

“ Do you mean to manage me here ? ” asked Robina. 

“ I hope so,” replied the headmistress. 

“ Nobody else has been able to do it,” said Robina 
in a very calm voice. 

Then she got up, allowing a lot of crumbs to fall 
upon the floor, and walked to the window. She stood 
— perhaps with intention — her broad back to her gover- 
ness- Mrs. Burton looked at the back, the well- 
squared shoulders, the sturdy little figure, the thick 
hair which fell in luxuriant masses far below the 
child’s waist. 

Mrs Burton was not one either to sigh or despair; 
but she knew quite well that she had undertaken no 
mean task in introducing Robina Starling into her or- 

[15]. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


derly school. After a minute’s pause she got up, and, 
going to her little pupil, took her hand. 

“ I want you to help me, Robina,” she said. The 
wild eyes darted a quick glance into her face. 

“ How ? ” asked Robina. “ I am not much good at 
that sort of thing.” 

“ I won’t tell you how to-night, my dear ; but per- 
haps to-morrow we will have a talk. There is one rule 
in the school which has never been broken yet; and 
that is, that a new pupil — quite a new pupil — has tea 
with me all by herself on the day after her arrival. 
So you, Robina, will have the privilege of having tea 
alone with me to-morrow evening. You must come 
to me here at five o’clock — sharp at five o’clock, re- 
member — and then you and I will have a little talk 
and I hope a nice time together. It is considered an 
honor, my love.” 

“ That depends on who is considering, doesn’t it ? ” 
said Robina very calmly. 

“ I am sure you will think it an honor,” said 
Mrs. Burton in as calm a voice. Then she took her 
pupil’s hand, and led her into the school parlor. 
“ You will find books here,” she said, “ and every 
single thing you want until the other girls come back. 
I expect them at eight o’clock, when you will all have 
supper, and then you will go to bed.” 

Robina said nothing, and the headmistress went 
away. 

There were three special parlors in the school. 
They were called by the old-fashioned name of par- 
lor, but they were in reality ordinary sitting-rooms 
One was devoted to the sixth form girls, and this was 
large and truly elegant apartment, furnished well, w th 
a grand piano, and easels, and beautiful pictures 
the walls. The sixth form girls had all sorts of cum 

[16] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


fortable chairs and everything to conduce to that feel- 
ing of being grown-up which is so much liked by girls 
of from sixteen to eighteen years of age. 

The little ones had also a parlor which was more 
like a play-room than anything else ; and the third form 
parlor, in which Robina now found herself, was a 
large, square room with a round table in the middle, 
a book-shelf full of story-books, another book-shelf 
full of histories and works of travel, a pair of globes, 
and several bird-cages. A bird-cage hung down be- 
fore each of the four windows, and in the cages were 
canaries, bullfinches, and other tame birds. There 
was also a parrot in a large cage in one corner of the 
room. 

Robina, whose eyes had been quite dull, and who 
had felt an indescribable and most painful weight at 
her heart, quite brightened up when she saw the 
birds. She amused herself taking her chair from 
one window to another and examining the feathered 
creatures, who had now curled themselves up into 
round fluffy balls, and were sound asleep. Not for 
the world would she awaken them; but a new, tender 
sort of light came into her eyes as she watched 
them. 

“ Pretty darlings ! ” she said softly, under her breath. 
Her whole queer little face became happier in expres- 
sion after she had examined the pet birds of the third 
\ form. She then crossed the room to look at the 
parrot. The parrot was an old gray bird with a 
solemn, wise face. He was not asleep : no one ever . 
. seemed to catch him nodding. He turned his head to 
£ one side and looked full at the newcomer. 
r “ Mind what you’re about ! ” he said sharply, and 
ahen he turned his back to her as though she were 
*„ not of the slightest consequence. 

B [ 17 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Robina burst out laughing. The parrot laughed too, 
but still kept his back to her. 

“ Mind what you're about yourself,” said Robina. 
Whereupon the parrot answered, “ Ha, ha ! ” and the 
next minute began to “ miouw ” in the most distracted 
manner, as though he were an angry cat. 

Robina, now in fits of mirth, stood and regarded 
him. She was so employed when all the girls of the 
third form burst into the room. They came in in 
great excitement, each pair of eyes fixed upon Robina, 
and all the seven pairs of lips eager to say something 
to the girl who had so strongly excited their curiosity. 

“ I am so glad to see you. How do you do ? ” said 
Frederica, who was slightly the oldest girl in the form, 
and therefore the one to take the lead. “ You are 
Robina, are you not?” 

“ Yes,” said Robina. She spoke with extreme calm. 

“ You must be very tired.” 

“ I am not a bit tired,” said Robina. 

“ Well, I am glad you are not. I am sorry we 
were not at home to welcome you. We have had a 
lovely picnic ! ” 

“ Bother picnics ! ” said Robina. 

This was a little disconcerting. Harriet Lane be- 
gan to laugh. The parrot said instantly “ Mind what 
you’re about ! Ha, ha ! ” and everyone laughed now. 
The ice was broken ; it was impossible to be formal 
after Polly had declared herself. Robina found that 
she was surrounded by a lot of eager, good-looking, 
pleasant girls. Each seemed more eager than the 
other to give her a hearty welcome. The soreness 
round her heart was soothed for the time being. She 
sank down on a chair and looked them all over. 

“ You’re not a bad lot for school-girls,” she said ; 
“ but I don’t know one from the other. Who is each ? 

[18] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Please don’t speak so fast — one at a time. You are 
Frederica? What a queer name! Now, who are you? 
And who are you? I will tell you very soon which 
of you I mean to be friends with. I always do what 
I like everywhere.” 

“ Mind what you’re about! Ha, ha! ” said the par- 
rot. 


[19] 


CHAPTER III 


DEVELOPMENTS 

In a very few days Robina Starling was settled 
at school. She was as completely settled there as 
though she had lived at Abbeyfield all her life. She 
was the sort of girl who quickly fitted herself into a 
new niche. She wasted no time in selecting her 
friends. She was not a scrap afraid. She looked 
calmly, not only at the girls in the third form, but 
at those superior beings — the sixth-form girls. What 
she thought she always said. Those girls who ad- 
mired her said that Robina was very straightforward, 
that it would be impossible for her to tell a lie, and 
that they admired her for this trait in her character 
extremely. The girls who did not admire her, on the 
contrary, said that she was rude and ill-bred ; but that 
fact — for she knew quite well that they said it — seemed 
rather to please Robina than otherwise. 

She was quick, too, about her lessons. Although 
she knew nothing in the school way of knowing 
things, she had in reality a mass of varied information 
in her little head. She had a startling way of an- 
nouncing her knowledge in and out of school. Miss 
Sparke used to find herself sometimes put quite in the 
wrong by this extraordinary pupil. 

“ No, Miss Sparke,” Robina said very calmly one 
morning during class, when she had been a week in 
[ 20 ] 


the little school-mothers 

the school, “ that was the old-fashioned view, but if 
you look in the latest volumes on the subject, you will 
see for yourself that things are changed now. Shall 
I look for you, Miss Sparke, or will you do it yourself? 
It is a pity that you should teach the wrong thing, 
isn’t it?” 

Miss Sparke said, “ Hold your tongue, Robina ; you 
are not to correct me in school.” 

But she had colored high when her naughty pupil 
spoke; and Robina, who did not color at all, nor 
show the slightest triumph, but who sat down again 
in her seat with the utmost calm, made a deep impres- 
sion on her school-fellows. She, with several of the 
girls, examined the latest authorities that afternoon, 
and as Robina was proved absolutely correct, and Miss 
Sparke wrong, the poor teacher took a lower place in 
her pupils’ estimation from that moment. 

“ You see,” said Robina, “ although I am young in 
years, I have always read grown-up sort of things. 
Father’s frightfully clever, and so is Mother, and as 
there are no other children at home, I just read what 
I like. Besides that, I hear Father talking with other 
learned men. Father’s a great scientist, and he knows. 
Poor Sparkie is very well, but she is no scientist, and 
she doesn’t know.” 

“What is a scientist?” asked Frederica. 

“ Oh, Frederica ! ” said Harriet ; “ why surely you 

know that. A scientist is ” but then she colored, 

for Robina had fixed her bright eyes on her face. 

“Well, said Robina calmly, “you will explain to 
Frederica what a scientist is, won’t you, Harriet?” 

“ A person who knows science, I suppose,” an- 
swered Harriet, blurting out the words, and then 
dashing out of the room in a fury. 

A laugh followed her to the door.. She felt that 
[21] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


she hated Robina. She had never really liked her 
from the very first ; and now, with a choking sensation 
in her throat, she went out into the playground. 

The first person she saw was Jane. Now Jane in 
her heart of hearts greatly admired the new pupil. 
The fact that she was really naughty at home had, it 
is sad to relate, but added to Jane’s liking for her. 
Harriet, it is true, was Jane’s own special friend, but 
Harriet was not nearly so amusing or so daring as the 
new pupil. Harriet now called her companion to her 
in an imperious voice. 

“ Come here, this minute, you silly ! ” she said. 
“ Why do you stand there with your mouth gaping 
and your legs far apart? You look for all the world 
like one of those foolish sheep on the back lawn.” 

“ I am not a sheep ; you needn’t say it,” answered 
Jane. 

She had reached Harriet’s side by this time. 

“ Well, come for a walk with me in the paddock,” 
said Harriet. “ I don’t want to be cross to you, Jane, 
but really that new girl, Robina — she is past bearing.” 

“ Oh, I like her so much,” said Jane. 

“ You do ? ” answered Harriet. “ You mean to tell 
me, you horrid thing, that you would give me up for 
her? ” 

“ Oh ! no, no, Harry, of course not. I like you best, 
of course. You are my real, oldest friend. But I 
suppose a girl may have two friends, and I do like her. 
The thing that makes me so sad is this : she won’t be 
my friend ; she snubs me like anything.” 

“ There’s one comfort,” said Harriet ; “ she’ll soon 
snub herself out of the school if she isn’t careful. 
Think of her correcting Sparkie this morning! I 
never heard of such cheek in the whole course of my 
life.” 


[ 22 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

Jane began to laugh. “ It was very clever of her,” 
she said. 

“ It was very impertinent of her,” said Harriet. 

“ But she was right,” said Jane, “ and Sparkie was 
wrong.” 

“ I have no doubt she was wrong herself,” said 
Harriet, “ although,” she added, “ she did prove her 
point in that horrid Cyclopaedia.” 

The little girls had now reached the paddock. Here 
was delicious shade and green grass, and the heat of 
the July sun was tempered by a lovely breeze. Har- 
riet, whose cheeks were hot with annoyance, began to 
cool down. Jane watched her with eager eyes. 

“Harriet,” said Jane; “you don’t think for a min- 
ute that I love anyone as much as you ? ” 

“I hope you don’t, Janie,” said Harriet; “it would 
be awfully unkind of you. But now listen to me. We 
must do something to stop this.” 

“To stop what?” asked Jane. 

“ That young ’un taking the lead in everything. It 
is too ridiculous. She hasn’t been more than a week 
in the school, and yet everything yields to her. She 
struts about with her head in the air and even talks to 
the girls of the sixth form, and isn’t a bit afraid of 
Sparkie or even of Devigny. The next thing we’ll 
find if this goes on is that Mrs. Burton herself is cor- 
rected by her. I wish, I do wish, I wish beyond any- 
thing, I could get her proved in the wrong her- 
self.” 

“Oh, Harriet!” exclaimed Jane. 

“ Yes, I do,” said Harriet ; “ I don’t pretend other- 
wise ; she has taken everything from me.” 

“ Oh, what do you mean? ” said Jane. 

“ I had not much,” continued Harriet ; “ but yet I 
had one thing. I was at the head of my form ; I was 

[23] 


t 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


certain of the best prizes ; I was considered the clever 
one. I was not vain of it, but I was glad. Now, 
I am the clever one no longer. She is at the head of 
the form. Although she has been such a short time 
in the school, she will get a prize at break-up ; I know 
she will. It isn’t that she has ever been taught in the 
school way, but she knows such a lot. Oh, I do hate 
her, Janie! I wish — I wish she had not come!” 

“Poor Harriet!” said Jane. 

She felt immensely pleased herself at this confidence 
reposed in her. Hitherto Harriet, with her pale face, 
her lank hair, her tall young figure, had been very 
condescending to black-eyed, roly-poly Jane. She 
had kept Jane under, and had only condescended to 
listen to her now and then. It was delicious to be 
confided in; to have Harriet explain to Jane what she 
felt about things. After a time, Jane said softly: 

“ Until Robina came, we were the only naughty girls 
in the school.” 

“ Oh, we were not . a bit naughty in reality,” said 
Harriet. “ It pleased you to think it, Janie. When 
I told you that we were the naughty ones, you used 
to be as proud as Punch ; but we were not really 
naughty as she could be naughty. I declare since she 
came I feel that I could do anything.” 

“ Let us make her naughty,” said Jane, in a low 
tone. 

“ Let us what ? ” asked Harriet, turning and facing 
her little companion. 

“ I know ! ” said Jane after a pause. “ I heard what 
they said when I was hiding under the holly bush. 
They said that she was sent to school because she was 
so noisy and wouldn’t obey anyone. Up to the pres- 
ent she has only been a little naughty ; she has done 
the sort of things that people forgive. Let us make 
t^4] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


her do something that people don’t forgive : let’s make 
her awfully disobedient.” 

“ I declare, Janie,” said Harriet, “ you’re a much 
cleverer girl than I gave you credit for. That isn’t 
at all a bad idea. Of course it’s naughty of us to 
wish anything of the sort; but then she is too ag- 
gravating, and— and — if she takes my character for 
cleverness away, and keeps the head of the form, and 
wins my prize — I cannot stand it. Oh, she put me to 
shame just now before the others — I won’t tell you 
how, for it isn’t worth while ; but she — she laughed as 
I went out of the room, and — the others laughed, too. 
I hate her! I don’t mind what I do to get her into 
trouble ! ” 

“ We mustn’t do too much, we must be careful,” 
said Jane. “ But if she is really very disobedient at 
home, why should she not be disobedient just once at 
school? You are clever enough to manage that, aren’t 
you, Harriet?” 

“ And you are clever enough to help me,” answered 
Harriet. “ Well, let’s say no more now ; mum’s the 
word. They’re going to have tea on the lawn, and 
we may as well join the others. I shall not feel nearly 
so bad now, Janie, since you are my friend, and we are 
making up a little plot together. Let’s think very 
hard. Let’s put on our considering caps, and let’s 
meet again here this hour to-morrow.” 

“Oh, Harriet!” said Jane. “I am glad and I’m 
sorry. I’m a bit frightened, and yet my heart goes 
pit-a-pat with excitement. I do love you, Harriet. 
Oh dear, oh dear! I wonder if this is desperately 
wicked ! ” 

“ I’ll give you a kiss if you will faithfully promise 
not to say one word of our conversation to another 
soul,” said Harriet. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Her kisses were considered great favors by the 
hungry Jane, who now received solemnly a peck on 
her forehead from Harriet. 

“ We’d best not be seen too much together,” said 
Harriet. “ I will go round by the fish-pond to the 
lawn, and you can run into the house and come out 
that way.” 

There is no doubt whatever that these two girls 
felt a very extra spice of naughtiness in their hearts 
on that afternoon. 

Meanwhile, Robina was enjoying herself ; she was 
the center of a large circle of girls. She was very 
nicely dressed, to begin with; and she looked, if not 
pretty, yet exceedingly interesting; her face was so 
full of intelligence and her expression was so varying, 
that it was quite a delight to watch her when she 
talked. She had the merriest laugh, too, like a peal 
of bells, and she had a very good-natured way of 
drawing a neglected girl to her side, and putting her 
arm about her and making friends with her for the 
time being. In particular, she was fond of little chil- 
dren, and the small girls of the school clung round 
her, pressing up to her side, and begging to be allowed 
to sit on her knee and fondle her, as tiny girls will. 

The first form in the school at present only con- 
sisted of four little girls. There were Patty and Cissy 
Price — two wee sisters of seven and six years of age ; 
and there was Curly Pate — as they called her — the 
youngest girl of all, who was not yet quite six; and 
there was little Annie, who was older than the others, 
but very small in stature and very delicate. 

Curly Pate was the baby of the school, and was 
somewhat spoiled in consequence. She was a perfect 
roly-poly creature, with fat arms and creasy, fat neck 
and little fat legs. Her face was perfectly round — as 
[26] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

round as a ball, and she had blue eyes and a soft com- 
plexion, and fluffy, curly, baby hair all over her little 
head. Her hair was short and thick, and of that fine, 
fine quality which only very tiny children and babies 
possess. 

From the eldest to the next youngest girl in the 
school Curly Pate was the darling. Anyone would 
be proud to walk with her, to caress her, to submit to 
her whims ; and Curly Pate, like all young queens, was 
exacting. She had her preferences. She liked Con- 
stance Amberley better than any of her own small 
companions. When Constance walked about the 
grounds with Curly Pate on her back — that young per- 
son pretending that she was riding her pony and desir- 
ing her “ Gee-gee ” to go faster, and pounding her on 
her head and shoulders in no inconsiderable fashion — 
Constance, far from being pitied, was envied by every- 
one else in the school. But lo, and behold ! when Rob- 
ina appeared, that fickle young person — the school 
baby — changed her tactics. She walked straight up to 
Robina on the first day of her appearance in the play- 
ground and said : 

“ I ’ike oo — new dirl ! ” and established herself on 
the spot, Robina’s ruler. 

Robina was elected to be the baby’s slave, and the 
others laughed and joked at Constance, and watched 
the baby with delight. The other little girls followed 
suit, as very small girls will. 

On this special afternoon Robina had the four small 
children in a circle round her. Curly Pate, it is true, 
occupied the place of honour on the young lady’s lap, 
but Patty and Cissie Price, and grave, pale little Annie 
were also close to the popular favorite. 

“ Tell us a story, Robina,” asked Cissie Price. 

“ Not now,” said Robina ; “ and you are not to 

[27] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


pull me, babies, for it makes me too hot. Curly, sit 
still, you little imp! I’ll put you off my knee if you 
don’t behave.” 

Now none of the other girls in the third form would 
have dared to speak to Curly in that tone. They 
would have received a slap in the face for their pains, 
but Curly took it quite meekly from Robina. 

“ I — is — dood. I is — vedy dood. I ’ove oo,” she 
said. 

She nestled up close to Robina, pulling that young 
person’s hand round her waist, and patting the said 
hand with her own two fat little ones and saying, over 
and over again : “ I ’ove oo, Wobbin — I ’ove oo ! ” 

It was on this scene that Harriet and Jane ap- 
peared. Since Robina had come, Harriet had rather 
avoided her. She had been jealous, poor child, from 
the first moment ; but now she altered her tactics, 
and forcing her way through the group, sat down 
close to the new favorite. 

“ There’s no room here,” said Robina. “ Go a little 
further off, please, Harriet; you are pushing little 
Annie and making her cry.” 

“ I don’t care twopence for little Annie ! ” cried 
Harriet, rudely. “ I have as good a right to sit here 
as anybody else. Don’t press me, Annie ; if I am in 
the way, you’re the person to make room, not me. Go 
back to your nursery, won’t you ? ” 

Annie, who was a very timid child, began to cry. 
Robina immediately rose, lifted Curly Pate on to her 
shoulder, and said to the three other little ones : 

“ I have changed my mind. I will tell you a story 
now, but no one else shall listen; it’s a lovely, true, 
true fairy tale. We’ll just sit under that tree, and 
you shall all hear it.” 

They followed her, clinging to her skirt and one of 

.[28J. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

them trying to grasp her hand. Harriet’s face grew 
black. Frederica said: 

“ Well, Harriet, you don’t look too well pleased ; but 
for my part, I think Robina was quite right; you 
ought not to have taken poor little Annie’s place.” 

“ Do you mind telling me,” answered Harriet, 
“ what right those children have to interfere with us ? 
They belong to the first form; let them stay in their 
nursery.” 

“ Oh, as to that,” said Rose Amberley, “ they have 
as good a right to the lawn as we have. They are 
always allowed to play here every afternoon; and 
Robina invited them to tea ; she bought a lot of 
sweeties, chocolates and cakes for them. They are 
Robina’s guests; they just worship her.” 

“ Worship her, indeed ! ” said Harriet. “ Well — I 
don’t worship her.” 

“ Anyone can see that, Harriet, and it is a great 
pity,” said Rose Amberley. “ Robina is a very nice 
girl, and as good as gold.” 

“ Oh, is she!” said Harriet. “Jane, what do you 
think?” 

“ I know what I know,” said Jane, nodding her 
little head with great firmness. 

Frederica looked very hard at Jane ; then she glanced 
at her own sister. 

“ Look here,” she said suddenly ; “ we have all been 
very happy at school, haven’t we ? ” 

“ Who says we haven’t ? ” answered Harriet. She 
felt crosser than ever, for there were such peals of 
laughter coming from under the shelter of that tree, 
where Robina was telling the babies her fairy tale. 
“ Who says we haven’t? ” she repeated. 

“ The reason we have been happy,” continued Fred- 
erica, “ is simply this : we have been — or at least we 

[29] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


have tried to be — good. It would indeed,” continued 
the young girl, “ be very difficult to be anything but 
good here — here, where things are so sweet and every- 
one is so kind, and even lessons, even lessons are 
made such a pleasure. Why shouldn’t we all keep on 
being good? why should we be jealous?” 

“ Who says anyone is jealous?” said Harriet. 

“ Oh, Harriet ! ” said Frederica ; “ you know you 
are, just a little bit.” 

“I don’t wonder she’s jealous!” suddenly burst 
from Jane. “ Robina has taken her place in class. 

Harriet is our clever one ; she doesn’t want to — to ” 

“ Oh, I am sure she is not small-minded enough for 
that,” said Frederica at once. “ If a cleverer girl 

comes to the school ” 

“ She is not cleverer ! ” burst from Harriet. 

“ Well, Harriet, you’ve got to prove it. If you are 
clever, work still harder, and resume your place in 
the class, and I’m sure we’ll all be delighted : fair play 
is fair play, and it’s very mean of you to be angry 
about nothing. Ah ! here comes tea, and I am so 
thirsty. Let’s help to lay it out, girls ! ” 

Immediately every girl had started to her feet: a 
white table-cloth was spread on the lawn, cups and 
saucers followed suit; tea, cake, bread and butter, 
dishes of fruit were soon being eagerly discussed. The 
small children gave a whoop of excitement, and Rob- 
ina returned, still carrying Curly Pate, with the others 
in her train. 

During tea, one of the little ones suggested that 
they should turn Robina into a queen. No sooner 
had the thought been uttered than it was put into 
execution. She was seated on a special chair and 
crowned with flowers, which the children flew about, 
gathering for her. A wreath of flowers surrounded 

[30] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERSi 

her laughing face, and a garland of flowers was placed 
round her neck. Curly Pate looked on just for a 
minute, then said eagerly : “ Me too ! me too ! ” 

“ Why should there not be two queens ? ” said 
Robina. “ Gather some white flowers for the baby, 
somebody.” 

“ Somebody ” meant everybody — that is, except 
Harriet, for even Jane was drawn into the whirlpool 
of excitement. Nothing could be prettier than the 
happy faces of the children; and especially of the 
queen with her flowers — her cheeks slightly flushed, 
her queer, half-wild, half-pathetic eyes brighter and 
darker than usual, one arm encircling Curly Pate’s 
dear little fat body, and of Curly Pate herself, shriek- 
ing with delight while a crown of white daisies encir- 
cled her little head. 

It was on this scene that Mrs. Burton, accompanied 
by a gentleman whom the girls had never seen be- 
fore, suddenly appeared. 


CHAPTER IV 

AN UNUSUAL PRIZE 

The gentleman was holding by the hand a small 
boy. The boy could not have been more than seven 
or eight years of age. He was rather a little boy for 
that, so that some of the girls put him down as 
younger. He was a very beautiful boy. He had a 
little dark face, with that nut-brown skin at once clear 
and yet full of color which is in itself a great love- 
liness. His eyes were large and brown like the softest 
velvet. He had very thick brown hair with a sort of 
bronze tone in it, and this hair hung in ringlets round 
his head. The boy was dressed in a peculiar way. He 
wore a suit of brown velvet, which fitted his agile little 
figure rather tightly. He had brown silk stockings 
and little breeches, and shoes with steel buckles. 
Round his neck he wore a large lace collar made in a 
sort of Vandyke fashion. Altogether, this little boy 
looked exactly as though he had stepped out of a 
picture. 

He was not at all shy. His eyes traveled over the 
scene, and they fixed themselves on Curly Pate, while 
Curly Pate’s eyes gazed on him. 

There was dead silence for a minute, all the girls in 
the school looking neither at Mrs. Burton nor at the 
gentleman, but at the queer, new, little, beautiful boy. 
Then Curly Pate broke the stillness. 

“I is kene ” (queen), she said, “and — him is 
king ! ” and she pointed with rapture at the boy. 

[ 32 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Oh, you’re king, are you, Ralph ? ” said the gentle- 
man. Then he said again : “ Come over to me, little 
queen, and let me* introduce you to the king.” 

Never was anyone less shy than the school baby, 
and never, perhaps, was anyone more fickle. She 
scrambled immediately off Robina’s knee and, pushing 
aside her companions, went up to the boy and took 
his hand. 

“ Tiss I — king; won’t oo? ” she said, and she raised 
her little cherubic mouth to the small boy. 

The boy, who was no more shy than Curly Pate 
herself, stooped, kissed her, and said: 

“ Oh, you little darling ! ” Curly Pate gave her fat 
hcnd to his Majesty, and the king and queen trotted 
off together. 

“ Does oo ’ike fairies, and butterflies and flowers ? ” 
the queen was heard to say as she conducted His 
Majesty round the garden. 

The girls all looked after them with pleasure, and 
the gentleman said to Mrs. Burton: 

“ Then I shall have no fear whatever. I see he is 
happy already, and I know all you girls will treat 
my little man kindly.” 

“ Of course we will,” said Robina, taking the lead 
in that way which nearly drove poor Harriet mad. 
“ Is he going to stay here ? What a perfect little dar- 
ling he is ! ” 

“ He is going to stay from now until the end of the 
term,” said the gentleman ; “ then I am coming back 
for him, and I am going to give a prize to the girl 
whom he himself likes best.” 

“ Oh ! then, of course, that will be Curly Pate,” said 
Robina, still smiling and looking very interesting and 
absolutely out of the common. 

“ Curly Pate won’t count,” said the gentleman, 
c [33] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ The prize is to be given by Mrs. Burton’s permis- 
sion to a girl in the third form. Who are the girls in 
the third form, if I may venture to ask, my dear 
madam ? ” 

The gentleman had a most courteous way ; his man- 
ners were so nice, and his voice so — perhaps har- 
monious is the right word, that he might almost have 
been a king himself. 

“ Girls of the third form,” said Mrs. Burton in re- 
ply, “ come and stand over here, will you ? ” 

At the word of command, Frederica and Patience 
Chetwold, the three Amberleys, Harriet and Jane, and 
last, but by no means least, Robina Starling, stood in 
a long row before the strange gentleman and Mrs. 
Burton. 

“ So you are the third-form girls,” he said very 
kindly. “ Well, I am exceedingly pleased to make 
your acquaintance. One of you — that one whom Mrs. 
Burton considers the most truly kind to my little boy — 
shall receive from my hands, on my return to claim 
my child, a prize. It will be, after a fashion, a prize 
for conduct, for it will be given to that girl who does 
not spoil Ralph, but who helps him to be good, who 
wins his love, who, in short, understands him. I know 
he is a very pretty boy, and on the whole, perhaps he 
is good; but he is by no means all good, and perhaps 
it would be well, girls of the third form, to give you 
a hint — he can be led, but never driven. I think he is 
an honorable little fellow, and I am sure he would 
not willingly tell a lie, or be willingly disobedient. I 
want one of you to be, in short, his school-mother, and 
the school-mother who really adopts my Ralph shall 
be rewarded by me.” 

Mrs. Burton now spoke. 

“You shall all be put on trial with regard to 
[ 34 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Ralph,” she said, “ for the next week. At the end of 
that time he will himself select his school-mother, and 
unless something unforeseen occurs, I think, Mr. Dur- 
rant, the prize will be already won. The fact is, my 
dear sir, there are a great many prizes to be competed 
for just now, and I do not want my girls to be kept in 
a state of suspense.” 

“ I will give as my prize,” said Mr. Durrant, “ a 
pony, with a side-saddle, and a habit made to order 
and to fit the girl who wins the prize. In order, too, 
that the pony shall be no expense to the fortunate 
owner, I will provide for its maintenance a certain sum 
per year, until the owner can assure me that she is in 
a position to undertake this expense herself. What I 
mean is this,” continued Mr. Durrant : “ I don’t want 
the girl’s parents to have any expense with the pony. 
He will be my gift to the little girl who mothers my 
boy. And now I think I have said all that is neces- 
sary.” 

“ I will talk to you girls on the subject of little 
Ralph this evening after prayers,” said the head- 
mistress. Then she turned away with Mr. Durrant, 
who, however, first of all shook hands with the girls 
of the third-form, and said a few words to the sixth- 
form girls, and, in short, charmed everyone. 

Harriet was the person selected now to find the king 
and queen. 

“ Bring them both to the house, dear,” said Mrs. 
Burton, and Harriet, well pleased, ran off to obey. 
Nowhere within sight could the little pair be found, 
and Harriet, after running for a few minutes, paused 
to consider. 

She wondered if this unexpected state of affairs 
would in any way promote her own interest. As a 
matter of fact, she hated small children. There was 
.[ 35 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


no small girl at the school who was ever seen to in- 
terrupt Harriet’s work, or to fling herself against 
Harriet’s knees, or to look into Harriet’s face with 
that childish petition : “ Oh ! do tell us a story, please.” 
The little ones left Harriet wisely alone, and Harriet 
never concealed her aversion to them. 

“ Horrid little sticky things,” she was heard to 
say, “ with their lollipops in their hands and their faces 
wanting washing, and their clothes so grubby ! ” 

These statements were quite false, for the small 
children were kept by their kind teacher, Miss Ford, 
in the most immaculate order. But Harriet was well 
known in the school not to stick to the truth when she 
wished to give vent to her sentiments. Now, how- 
ever, her feelings were changed. She must, of course, 
find the king and queen at once. 

“ Ridiculous name ! ” she murmured. “ That little 
tiresome, fat baby girl and that small boy, dressed for 
all the world as though he were a peacock ! But 
still — but still — a pony with a side-saddle and habit, 
and his keep provided for, is worth struggling to win. 
And then it would be such fun to get the prize over 
Robina’s head. She is certain sure of it already, I 
see by her smug face. I am sure I am clever enough 
to get this from her, and I will.” 

Harriet now spied both children standing much too 
near the edge of a round pond which ornamented part 
of the grounds. 

“ Oh, Curly Pate ! ” she shrieked. “ Come back 
this minute, you naughty child, from the edge of the 
water ! ” 

Curly Pate, who had been gazing at her own little 
image in the pond, looked up. Her fair face was 
flushed with passion, and seizing Ralph’s hand, she 
said imperiously : 


[36] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

" Turn away, king. Curly Pate hates that howwid 
dirl.” 

Harriet was near enough to hear the words. Angry 
already, and disliking Curly Pate more than words 
could say, she rushed up to her now, seized her by the 
waist, and planted her several feet away from the 
pond. 

“ There, you naughty, disobedient little thing ! ” 
she said. “ You’ll be drowned if you don’t take 
care ! ” 

Curly Pate burst into roars of tears, and set to work 
screaming as she alone knew how. Ralph, furious at 
having his queen abusecf, turned to Harriet and began 
to beat her. 

“ Go away, go away! ” he said. “ You’re not a bit 
a nice girl. Go away, you horrid thing ! ” 

“ Horrid thing yourself ! ” said Harriet and she 
slapped Ralph across the face. 

Little Ralph Durrant was much too proud to cry; 
the slap stung him, and the little olive-tinted face 
grew red. After a minute, during which he was 
struggling with himself, he turned towards Harriet 
and said gently: 

“ ’Twasn’t ladylike of you to slap me, but I forgive 
you.” 

“ Oh, your Mightiness! Do you, indeed?” said 
Harriet. “ I am sure, your Majesty, I am exceedingly 
obliged.” 

The scornful tone was quite new to little Ralph. 
What would have happened next is hard to tell, if at 
that moment Robina had not rushed up. 

“ Well, Curly,” she said ; “ well, my little precious ! 
Why, what are you crying about? And Ralph, dear, 
is anything the matter with you ? ” 

Curly, whose tears were now growing less, flung 

[ 37 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


herself impetuously into Robina’s arms, while Robina 
laid a trembling hand on her shoulder. Robina by this 
time was on her knees, both children fondling her. 
Harriet stood still for a minute. Then she said in a 
lofty tone: 

“ Take them to the house — or rather, take the boy 
to the house. I was sent to fetch them, but of course 
it would be like you to interfere. You want to be his 
school-mother, and to get the pony — I know you ; and 
let me say at once that I despise you for your horrid 
ways ! ” 

Robina turned scarlet. 

“ You have no right — no right to say such things 
to me ! ” was her first remark. Then with a great 
effort she managed to quiet herself. Her eyes, with a 
wild light in them, were fixed on Harriet’s face. 

“ I despise you too much,” she said slowly, “ to 
take any notice of your words. Curly, you shall have 
a ride, my sweet, on my shoulder ; and Ralph, you will 
hold one of my hands. We must come quickly to the 
house, for Mr. Durrant wants you to say good-bye.” 

“ Oh, good-bye,” said Ralph ; “ that hurts, doesn’t 
it?” 

He forgot Harriet, who was watching the scene 
from a few feet away. A new expression filled his 
beautiful little face, his eyes were fixed on Robina with 
a world of appeal. 

“Yes,” said Robina; “it hurts; but brave people 
don’t mind pain.” 

“ I am brave ; I sha’n’t mind it,” said Ralph. 
“ Hold my hand for a bit after he goes, will you ? and 
then I shall not mind at all.” 


[ 38 ] 


CHAPTER V 


EXPLAINED 

After prayers that evening Mrs. Burton, as she 
had arranged, had a talk with the girls of the third 
form in her own private sitting-room. She spoke very 
simply, and explained what she considered her view 
of the matter. 

“ My dears,” she said, “ this is a very nice oppor- 
tunity for you, for really to win the affection of a 
little fellow like Ralph is to achieve a victory; and I 
earnestly want you all to try, not so much for the sake 
of the prize as because the looking after a little fellow 
like that, who will be very spirited and, doubtless, 
also very exacting, will be good for your own char- 
acter, teaching you forbearance, unselfishness, and 
much thought for others, which are qualities every 
girl ought to cultivate. These are essentially girls' 
qualities, my dears ; for all those girls who hope to be 
true women by-and-by ought to possess them. They 
are better and of greater value to the possessor than 
money or cleverness or beauty, for they mean beauty 
of the heart, and will last, my loves, when mere out- 
ward beauty fails, and, in short, even beyond this life, 
when time is no more. And now, dears, I am going 
to tell you my little plan. 

“ There are altogether seven of you, excluding Rob- 
ina. Now, Robina has a special power with children, 
and has already captivated the affections of Ralph. It 

[39] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


would not be fair that Robina should exercise her 
influence over him during the trial week, but each of 
the rest of you shall in turn take care of the little 
man for an entire day. I will give you no directions 
whatever with regard to how you will treat him. Dur- 
ing that day the girl who has him in charge will be ex- 
cused from lessons. She will look after him from 
morning till night, dress him and undress him, take 
him for a walk, and provide for his amusement gen- 
erally. She will help him to learn his simple lessons ; 
she will, in short, be his mother pro tem. I do not ex- 
pect any one of you absolutely to fail, and at the end 
of the week Ralph is himself to choose his school- 
mother. Now, nothing can be fairer than this. Fred- 
erica, my dear, you, as the eldest girl in the form, will 
look after Ralph to-morrow. And now I think I 
have said all that is necessary. ,, 

Mrs. Burton asked the girls to leave the room, which 
they did in a body, and great was the discussion which 
took place in the third form parlor on that special 
evening. 

Frederica was the first to speak. 

“ Of course, I will look after Ralph,” she said, “ and 
I don’t believe I shall find it difficult. I have several 
brothers and sisters at home, and though I don’t know 
that I am especially good with children, I think, on 
the whole, I can manage them fairly well.” 

“ You are not to spoil him, you know,” said 
Harriet. 

“ Perhaps,” interrupted Frederica, “ we had best 
each keep our own counsel as to the manner in which 
we are to treat Ralph. It is a great responsibility, 
and as something hangs on it — for I don’t pretend for 
a moment I should not like to get the pony — the less 
we say to each other the better.” 

[40] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ There’s one thing,” said Rose Amberley at that 
moment. “ Mrs. Burton, I am sure, will not wish any 
of us to give Ralph sweeties or cakes, or the sort of 
things that might make him ill. Otherwise, I suppose 
each girl will manage him her own way. Now, let us 
see. To-morrow will be Wednesday. You are to 
look after him to-morrow, Frederica. I suppose 
Patience comes next, and then I ; and then, I think, 
it is your turn, Harriet, isn’t it ? I presume we’ll come 
according to our ages. You are next oldest to Rose, 
aren’t you ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet. 

“ Very well then, Harriet. If I look after Ralph 
to-morrow,” said Frederica, “ and Patience has him on 
Thursday, and Rose on Friday, Saturday will be your 
day.” 

“ Oh, I hate having him on Saturday,” said Har- 
riet, “ for that is our half-holiday, and there are such 
lots of things to be done.” 

“ Still, that can scarcely be helped,” said Frederica 
again, “ for your turn comes on Saturday, so there is 
nothing to be said.” 

“ What a nuisance ! ” said Harriet. “ And I sup- 
pose Jane will have him Sunday; I wish my day were 
Sunday.” 

The other girls made no reply, and Harriet pres- 
ently went out of the room, her hand linked in 
Jane’s. 

“ Now, Janie,” she said, “you understand, of course, 
that I mean to get that pony.” 

“ I know you mean it,” said Jane. 

“What I mean I generally manage to do,” was 
Harriet’s response. 

“You do, as a rule,” replied Jane. 

“ If I get the pony,” said Harriet, “ I will let you 

[41] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ride him pretty often. You shall come over to our 
place, and you shall use my beautiful side-saddle; of 
course, my habit won’t fit you, you are such a round 
podge of a girl, but you can wear any old skirt. 
Sha’n’t I make that pony fly! I’ll give him beans! 
Oh, yes ; I mean to have him.” 

“ But, after all,” said Jane, “ that depends upon 
whether Ralph chooses you as his school-mother or 
not.” 

“ You leave that to me,” said Harriet. 

“ I am sure he won’t choose you,” said Jane. “ He 
will choose Robina; he loves her now like anything.” 

“ He will choose me,” said Harriet. “ I have a plan 
in my head, and he’s certain to.” 

“ But he hated you to-day,” said Jane. “ If you 
really meant to win his heart, you shouldn’t have been 
so horridly cross to Curly Pate, and you shouldn’t 
have slapped him on the face.” 

“ I know,” said Harriet, in a contrite voice ; “ my 
passion got the better of me, but you may be certain I 
will be on my guard on Saturday. And look here, 
Jane: you have not the remotest chance on your own 
account of winning the prize, but if you help me to get 
it I won’t forget you in the matter of rides, and I will 
try and get Father and Mother to invite you over to 
our place very often during the holidays. You will 
like that, won’t you, Jane?” 

“ Love it,” said Jane, who, however, was by no 
means certain on that point, for, although Harriet had 
great power over her, she was a little afraid of her. 

“ Well, you shall come very often these holidays, 
and perhaps Mother might be coaxed to take you to 
the seaside with us ; but everything depends on whether 
you help me to be school-mother to that boy. You 
will have to do your very best on Sunday. You’ll 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


have to talk to him about me, and tell him all the won- 
derful things that I will do for him when I have him 
to look after, and you will have — whatever you do — 
to frighten him about the others, and most especially 
frighten him about Robina. Now, I think that is all. 
I sha’n't bother about him, you may be sure, until 
Saturday. I think I know my way at last how to spite 
Robina, horrid thing! She is just mad to get that 
pony. I know life will be quite happy again if I can 
get it from her. Oh, she is sure of it — and Mrs. Bur- 
ton is so sure she’ll win, that she is not even going to 
be given a day to look after Ralph! Very unfair, I 
call it.” 

Jane said nothing, but that night when she lay down 
in her little bed in the third form dormitory, her 
thoughts kept her awake. She did not much like the 
task she had undertaken. Harriet certainly was a 
tyrannical friend, and Harriet was growing less good 
each minute. Now that naughtiness was coming so 
terribly to the fore, poor little Jane felt in her heart 
of hearts that she did not enjoy it. It was all very 
well to burst out laughing during lessons and to play 
a practical joke on another girl, and to hide behind 
doors and spring out upon a frightened servant or a 
still more timid schoolfellow, and it was delicious to 
make apple-pie beds and to set booby traps and all 
those sort of things, but this sort of naughtiness, some- 
how, was different. 

Jane had been impressed by Mrs. Burton's words: 
— “ You must be unselfish, and forbearing, and 
thoughtful for others, and all these attributes will be 
good for your character, and will help you to be true 
women by-and-by.” Above all, Jane was struck with 
what Mrs. Burton had said about these things being 
better than beauty, or riches, or talent, for these things 
[ 43 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


were the best of all, and would stay with a girl and 
would help her through her life, and — and — help her 
after death. Jane was very frightened of death. The 
thought of it came to her sometimes in the middle of 
the night, but she always pushed it out of sight. Now, 
however, Mrs. Burton spoke of something which 
would help her even after that had taken place. She 
shivered in her little bed. She did not at all like the 
task which was put upon her. 

. Meanwhile, things went apparently well in the 
school. Robina was as bright as ever on the next 
morning, and just as clever over her lessons, and just 
as apparently indifferent to her fellow-pupils. She 
had to all appearance forgotten the words she said to 
Harriet on the previous night. She talked cheerfully 
to Harriet. Harriet was forced to reply in the same 
tone. Afterwards the girls played in the garden, as 
they had done on the day before ; but Harriet and Jane 
did not meet as they had previously arranged in the 
paddock. It was not necessary to meet, they both felt, 
for something had occurred since then, and their 
course was in a measure plain. Curly Pate was with 
them, too, and so were the other little children. The 
only one who was absent was Frederica; she and 
Ralph were not to be seen. 

Late that night Frederica came up to the dormitory, 
and went to bed as usual. All the others clustered 
round her. 

“Well — well,” they said, “could you manage? 
Aren’t you dead tired? What sort is he, really? Oh, 
do say if you think you have any chance of getting 
the pony ! ” 

“ I can say nothing — it wouldn’t be fair,” said Fred- 
erica. “ Mrs. Burton doesn’t wish any one of the girls 
on her trial to helo the others by saying things. I 

[44] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


have had a good day, I think, and am tired, and should 
like to go to sleep. Patience, you are to go to Ralph’s 
nursery at seven o’clock to-morrow morning.” 

The next day was Thursday, and Thursday was 
Patience Chetwold’s day. It passed very much as 
Wednesday had done, only that Jane looked rather 
miserable, and Harriet took no notice of her at all. 
Friday was Rose Amberley’s day, and on that day the 
girls heard — or fancied they heard — peals of laughter 
in the distance. They were all rather anxious, for 
Rose was so remarkably nice, and had quite a way with 
little children. Before Robina came she had shared 
the honors with her elder sister, Constance, of being 
the babies’ favorite. ,The girls began to say amongst 
themselves that Rose would carry off the prize, and 
that, on the whole, they would like her to have it, 
for she was so kind and nice, and so remarkably 
pretty. 

It was on the evening of Friday that Jane ran up to 
Harriet, pulled her by her arm, and said in a low 
tone : — 

“ I want to walk with you in the paddock.” 

“ Now, what’s up ? ” said Harriet crossly. 

“ Come,” said Jane. 

Jane’s black eyes were shining, and her short black 
hair resembled a mop more than ever, and her little 
round figure seemed rounder. There was quite an 
agitation about Jane which made her roundness and 
queer short hair and round black eyes look too comical 
for words ; at least, this was what Harriet said, when 
she found herself with her friend in the paddock. 
Harriet was such a contrast to Jane, and looked more 
lanky and more pale than ever on this occasion. 

“Now — what is up?” she said. “You do look 
precisely like a fat Christmas goose just before he is 
[ 45 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


going to be killed for Christmas dinner. What is up 
with you now ? ” 

“ Only that — I — I — mean — I don’t want to be the 
school-mother.” 

Harriet burst into a peal of laughter. “ Isn’t it a 
case of sour grapes? ” she said. “ You just know you 
can’t be the school-mother, so you think you’ll cover 
your defeat by saying that sort of thing.” 

“ I want to say more,” whispered Jane. “ I am 
frightened to do what you want ; I mean I am fright- 
ened to say what isn’t true about the others — and, 
particularly, about Robina. I don’t want to do it; I 
thought I would tell you.” 

“ I always knew you were a sneak,” said Harriet, 
“ but please yourself, of course. It won’t be very 
nice for you when I send you to Coventry.” 

“ What do you mean by sending to Coventry ? ” 
asked Jane. 

“ You are a silly! You are frightfully ugly, and 
you have no brains at all. Coventry means that I 
won’t speak to you; and what’s more, I’ll get a lot 
more girls in the school not to speak to you. Perhaps 
you won’t enjoy that — but please yourself, I don’t 
care.” 

“ Harriet, you are cross ! You know, you know 
quite well that I would please you if I could. But — 
but I do want to be the sort of girl Mrs. Burton spoke 
about.” 

“ Oh, you are turning goody-goody ! ” said Harriet. 
“ Then, indeed, I have no further use of you. I am 
going to take up Vivian Amberley. She is quite a 
nice little thing — very different from you.” 

Jane gave utterance to a very quick sigh. Vivian 
was perhaps the girl in the third form who had the 
weakest character. She was not like her two elder 

[46] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


sisters: she could be very good with good girls and 
quite naughty with girls who were not good. Jane 
had always known this fact, and had always been 
terribly afraid that Harriet would make use of Vivian, 
and turn her to her own purposes. In that case, of 
course, Harriet would never speak to poor Jane 
again ; and Jane did care for her and could be intensely 
jealous about her. So now she said: — 

“ I know you are very clever, Harriet, and I sup- 
pose you do know best; only I wish that little voice 
inside of me wouldn’t talk so loud. It keeps me awake 
at nights, and I get frightened; but if you really, 
really think ” 

“ I think nothing ! ” said Harriet crossly. “ Please 
yourself. Vivian will help me, if you won’t. I will 
know what you have done by Monday morning. You 
can do exactly as you please ; and! now don’t keep me, 
for I have got to finish learning my piece to recite on 
Sunday afternoon.” 


[47] 


CHAPTER VI 


BEGUILED BY PROMISES 

There was no doubt that Harriet was clever, but 
even she felt a little nervous when she went into 
Ralph’s bedroom to awaken him on Saturday morning. 

Ralph had a sweet little room to sleep in. It 
opened into Miss Ford’s, but the door between the 
two was shut ; for Ralph’s whole endeavor was to be 
a very manly boy, and manly boys always liked 
best to sleep alone. He looked very pretty indeed, 
now, in his sleep, his mop of brown curls pushed 
back from his forehead, the long black lashes lying 
like a cloud on his rounded cheeks ; his red, red lips 
slightly parted, a smile on his little face. But Harriet 
saw no beauty in the sleeping boy. 

“ Little tiresome thing ! ” she murmured under her 
breath. “ If it wasn’t for that pony and my deter- 
mination to win the prize over Robina, wouldn’t I 
give him a time to-day ! ” 

But the pony was worth winning, and Harriet was 
clever. She bent down over Ralph, and touched him 
gently on his arm. He woke with a start, looked at 
Harriet, colored brightly, and then said: — 

“ What’s up?” 

“ Time for you to rise,” said Harriet. “ I am your 
school-mother for to-day.” 

“ Oh,” said Ralph. His face turned a little pale, 
but he did not start. 


us] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ You can lie in bed as long as ever you like,” said 
Harriet ; “ I don’t care ; I’m not going to tell on you ; 
you may be as naughty as you please to-day — you 
needn’t do any single thing except just what you 
like.” 

“ Needn’t I, really?” said the boy. 

“ Of course, you needn’t,” said Harriet. “ Why 
should you bother to be good ? ” 

“ But Father likes me to be good,” said Ralph ; 
“ and — and — Mrs. Burton does. I love Mrs. Burton, 
don’t you ? ” 

Harriet longed to say “ No,” but, shutting up her 
lips, she nodded her head. 

“ You are the girl who was so horrid and rude to 
me the other day,” said Ralph; “ you slapped me on 
my cheek.” 

“ And you beat me,” said Harriet. 

Ralph’s eyes began to twinkle. 

“ So we’re quits,” said Harriet. “ Let’s shake 
hands; let’s be pals.” 

“ It’s nice of you to forgive,” said Ralph. 

“ Oh, that’s nothing,” replied Harriet. “ If you but 
knew me, you’d consider that I am quite the nicest girl 
in the school.” 

“ Are you really ? ” 

“Yes; but what do you think, after all, of getting 
up? I have such a wonderful plan of spending our 
day together.” 

“ Have you ? ” said Ralph. 

“A delicious plan; you can’t guess how you will 
enjoy yourself.” 

“ Can’t I, really? ” 

“ Hadn’t you better get up. You can wash your- 
self, you know.” 

“ Oh, I never washed myself yet,” said Ralph. 

D [49] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“Well, you’ll have to begin some time. I’ll sit 
and stare out of the window, and you can pop into 
your tub, and have a good splash ; I don’t care a bit if 
you wet the floor ; manly boys can’t be always thinking 
of those sort of things. Now, then, up you get, and 
I’ll stare out of the window.” 

Harriet suited the action to the word. Ralph saw 
a long, narrow back and very thin light hair only 
partly concealing it. He observed that the lanky 
little figure sat very still. He felt impressed, much 
more impressed than he had been when kind Frederica 
and unselfish Patience, and even pretty, pretty Rose 
Amberley had been his school-mothers. They had 
been commonplace — quite nice, of course, but nothing 
special. The lanky person was not commonplace. 

He hopped up with a little shout, washed and 
dressed himself after a fashion, and then went up to 
Harriet. 

“ Well, pal,” she said, just glancing at him, “ are 
you ready ? ” 

“ Quite,” said Ralph. “ I like you to call me your 
pal. You’re a very big girl compared to me, aren’t 
you ? ” 

“ You’re not a girl at all,” said Harriet ; “ you’re a 
very manly boy, and you’re awfully pretty; don’t you 
know that you are very pretty ? ” 

“ No,” said Ralph, turning scarlet, “ and boys ought 
not to be pretty ; I hate that.” 

“ Well, then, you’re handsome. I’ll show you your 
face in the glass presently. But come down now. I 
am allowed to do just what I like with you to-day, and 
we’re going to have such a good time ! ” 

The beginning of the good time consisted in having 
a real picnic breakfast out of doors. Ralph and Har- 
riet collected twigs and boiled the kettle in one corner 

[50] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

of the paddock It didn’t matter to Harriet that the 
paddock was rather damp and cold at this hour, and 
it certainly did not matter to Ralph, who was wildly 
excited, and quite forgot everything else in the world 
while he was trying to light the dry wood. Really, 
Harriet was nice; she did not even mind his having 
matches. 

“ They never allowed me to have matches before I 
came here.” 

“ You can put them in your pocket, if you like,” 
said Harriet. “ Manly boys like you should not be 
kept under. You wouldn’t burn yourself on purpose, 
would you ? ” 

“ Of course not.” 

“ Have you a knife of your own ? ” 

“ No ; Father says I’m rather young.” 

“ But you’re not ; I’ll give you a knife if you like. 
I have an old rusty one upstairs with a broken blade. 
You shall have it.” 

“ Thanks aw-filly ! ” said Ralph. “ But, perhaps,” 
he added, after a minute’s pause. “ I had best not 
have it, for Father would not like me to.” 

“ Oh, please yourself,” said Harriet. " Have you 
had enough breakfast? ” 

“ Yes, thank you awfilly, and it was so good. I 
suppose,” added Ralph, a little timidly, “we’d best 
begin my lessons now. I hate reading to myself, but 
I suppose I must learn.” 

“ You needn’t learn from me,” said Harriet. “ I’m 
not going to give you any lessons.” 

“ Oh — but — oughtn’t you to ? ” 

“ Whether I ought to or not, I don’t mean to,” said 
Harriet. “ Now, look here, what shall we do with 
ourselves ? ” 

“ I don’t know,” said Ralph, who was so excited and 

[5i] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

interested that he leaned up against Harriet, who 
would have given worlds to push him away, but did 
not dare. 

“ You’re very nice, really, truly,” he said, and he 
touched her lank hair with his little brown hand. 

“Yes, am I not nice?” said Harriet, smiling at 
him. “ Now, if you were to choose me for your 
school-mother, you would have a jolly time.” 

“ Am I to choose who I like ? ” said Ralph. 

“ Of course, you are. We are all trying our hands 
on you ; but you are to make your own choice. Didn’t 
the other girls tell you ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ Do you like being with the others ? ” 

“ They were very kind,” said Ralph. 

“Did you have a picnic breakfast with them?” 

“ Oh, no.” 

“ If I were your school-mother,” said Harriet, after 
a pause, “ we would have one every day, and — and — 
no lessons ; and you might play with matches, and you 
might have a pop-gun, and there’s something else we 
would do.” 

“ Oh, what is it? ” 

“ We’d go and see the gipsies.” 

“ But I am frightened of gipsies,” said Ralph. As 
he spoke he pressed a little nearer to Harriet. “ Are 
there gipsies about?” 

“ There are some gipsies living two fields off — you 
look almost like a gipsy boy yourself, you are so dark. 
There are a lot of little brown babies rolling about on 
the grass, and big brown men, and big brown women, 
and there are dogs, and a donkey, and an old horse; 
but the most wonderful thing of all is the house on 
wheels.” 

“ The house on wheels ? ” said Ralph. 

[ 52 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Yes, the old horse draws it, and the gipsies live 
inside ; oh, it is wonderful ! ” 

“ Aren’t gipsies very wicked people? ” 

“ Wicked ? ” said Harriet. “ They’re the most lovely 
people in all the world. I can’t take you to see them 
to-day, but if I were your school-mother, we would 
manage to slip off and have a good time with them. 
They love little brown boys like you, and you would 
love them. Oh, you don’t know what a gipsy is ! 
Frightened of them, are you? Well, I’ll tell you a 
story of what they did for me when I ran away once 
and stayed with them for a whole night. I never had 
such a good time in all my life.’ ) 

Harriet made up a story out of her head. It is 
true she had once been for a very frightened half-hour 
with some gipsies on the common nearest to her 
father’s house; but that time now was changed into 
something quite fairy-like. 

Ralph listened with his eyes shining, his lips apart, 
and his breath coming fast. 

“ Oh, I didn’t know they were like that,” he said. 
“ Let us go now, now ; don’t put it off, please ; let’s 
come this very instant minute.” 

“ No,” said Harriet firmly. “ I cdmld not possibly 
take you to-day. But I will manage it if you choose 
me for your school-mother. Of course, you won’t 
choose me. I know who you’ll choose.” 

“ Who?” asked Ralph. 

“ That Robina girl.” 

“ Who?” asked Ralph. 

“ Oh, that creature who came for you and Curly 
Pate when you were sent for, to say good-bye to your 
father.” 

“ Is she Robina ? ” asked Ralph, “ Oh, I like her 
so much ! ” 

[53l 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ That is because you don’t know her. Shall I tell 
you some things about her ? ” 

“ Would it be right ? ” asked Ralph. 

“ You needn’t listen if you don’t like,” replied Har- 
riet. “ You can go to the other side of the paddock. 
I am going to say them aloud, whether you listen or 
not.” 

Harriet instantly crossed her hands on her lap, and 
began saying in a chanting tone : — 

“ Robina was so naughty at home, and made such a 
dreadful noise in the room with her poor sick mother 
that she had to be sent away. She was sent here to 
this school, and since she came all the rest of us are 
dreadfully unhappy, for, although she looks kind, she 
is not a bit kind; she is the sort of girl who doesn’t 
obey. She was sent away from home because she was 
so disobedient ” 

“ Oh, don’t ! ” said Ralph suddenly. 

“ Why — what is the matter ? ” said Harriet. 
“ Were you listening? ” 

“ I couldn’t help myself ; you spoke so loud. I didn’t 
want to, but you did speak very loud. Why do you 
say those horrid things about her ? ” 

“ They are true,” said Harriet. “ I don’t mean to 
be unkind to her. I wouldn’t be unkind to anybody, 
but, at the same time, I want to warn you in case you 
are taken in by her ways and choose her as your 
school-mother.” 

Ralph was quite silent. After a minute he said in 
an altered voice: 

“ Let’s do something now — what shall we?” 

Harriet suggested that they should visit the farm- 
yard at the back of the house and coax Jim, the groom, 
to let them ride on some of the horses. This, of 
[ 54 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

course, was most fascinating, and no sooner had 
it been thought of than it was done. The ride was 
followed by something still more exciting. Jim 
was going to drive to the nearest town with the spring 
cart, and he offered to take the two children with 
him. 

Harriet no sooner heard this proposal than she ac- 
cepted it, and she and Ralph had a glorious drive to 
town. There she spent sixpence — all the money she 
possessed — on different sweetmeats. 

“ I wish I had some more,” she said, “ I’d give you 
all my money — I would, indeed ! ” 

“ There are quite enough sweeties there,” said 
Ralph; “but if you really want to buy other things, 
Harriet, I have got money.” 

“ Have you ? Let’s see what you’ve got,” said Har- 
riet. 

Ralph put his hand into his breeches pocket, and 
took out a handful of coppers, a shilling, and two six- 
pences. 

“Here’s lots,” he said. “Isn’t it lots, Harriet?” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet, looking at it greedily. “ We 
might buy a picnic tea for ourselves out of that.” 

“ Oh ! might we ? ” said Ralph. “ How per-fect-ly 
bee-wtiful ! ” 

The picnic tea was purchased; it was not whole- 
some. The children went back. Ralph and Harriet 
had their dinner all alone, for during the trial day the 
arrangement was that the rest of the school children 
were not to interfere. Afterwards, they had their pic- 
nic tea out of doors, and after that was over, Harriet 
again spoke of the gipsies, and the delight of knowing 
them, and the certain fact that they would give them 
tea, or, perhaps, dinner, in the wonderful house on 

[55] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


wheels, and the still more certain fact that Ralph 
would not be a true boy until he had visited the gipsies 
with Harriet. 

On the whole, Harriet considered that her trial day 
was a success. It was an untidy, flushed, and not a 
healthy little boy who crept rather late into bed that 
night, and whom Harriet undressed without troubling 
herself whether he was washed too carefully or his 
hair brushed or not. Even to his cry that he had just 
a weeny , teeny pain, and that he did not feel quite 
quite well, she made no response. But when she was 
bidding him good-night, she said : — 

“ Remember the gipsies, and I am the sort of girl 
who always keeps her word.” 

“ Good-night, dear, dear Harriet ! ” said the little 
fellow. “ I have had quite a lovely day ! ” 

After Harriet went away, it was some time before 
Ralph fell asleep. Of course, he was a manly boy, and 
he did not mind a bit being alone, and it was nice, 
very nice, to have a little room all to himself. But, 
notwithstanding his bravery, and his fixed determina- 
tion not to be lonely without Father, and never to cry 
even the smallest tear, there was an ache in his heart. 
He kept on thinking so much of his school-mother 
that he could not sleep. The girls in the school were 
very nice. Rose had been sweet to him, so had Freder- 
ica, so had Patience, and his school-mother of the past 
day — oh, she had been the most exciting of all. She 
was not a bit a pretty girl — in his heart of hearts he 
thought her rather ugly ; but she had done things none 
of the others had done. She had given him adven- 
tures — that breakfast out of doors, a box of matches 
to keep in his own pocket; that ride on Firefly’s back 
— Firefly was a very spirited pony — and the girl had 
looked on admiringly while Ralph kept his seat; and 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


then the drive to town, and the spending of all Har- 
riet’s money on sweetmeats and of all Ralph’s money 
on a picnic tea. Oh, yes ; he had had a good day, 
very good, and there had been no lessons. 

Ralph could not honestly say that he loved lessons. 
He used to pretend he did, for he hated to grumble 
about things, and manly boys learned things — at least, 
so his father used to say. Manly boys always knew 
how to read, and they spelt words properly, and they 
wrote neat, good hands, and they learned, too, how to 
add up long, terrible rows of figures. All these things 
were necessary if a boy was to be manly and wise. 
Ralph knew perfectly well that he must go through 
with these unpleasant things. Nevertheless, he had 
to own that he did not like them. This school-mother, 
if he were to select her, would not be very particular 
about his reading aloud, and spelling properly, and 
working at his sums. Oh, no, he would have a good 
time with her; matches in his pocket, knives to play 
with — although his father did not like him to have 
knives — and, above all things, such a wonderful, glori- 
ous hope was held out to him ! They would go away 
together, he and his school-mother, to see the gipsies. 
They would climb up the steps into that house on 
wheels ; and, perhaps — perhaps — it would move, and 
they would feel it moving, and the brown babies would 
roll about on the grass at his feet, and the brown men 
and women would talk to him. 

Harriet had spoken much to him about the delights 
of gipsy life. Ralph felt that he would give a great 
deal to taste it for himself. He tossed from side to 
side of his little bed, and presently he sat up, his cheeks 
flushed, his hair tumbled. “ What would Father say 
to all this ? Father liked boys to do lessons, and to lead 
orderly lives, and- 


[ 57 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Oh, Father ! ” sobbed the child. He could not help 
crying just a little bit. He wanted his father more 
than anything in all the world just then ; yes, although 
his heart was full of Harriet and her proposal to visit 
the gipsies. 


CHAPTER VII 


THE CHOICE 

The three remaining days of trial of the school- 
mothers went quickly by. There was suppressed ex- 
citement all over the third form. Harriet alone would 
not be induced to talk on the subject. She put on 
quite a good little air. 

“ No,” she said, “ don’t let’s worry over the thing. 
Ralph will make his own choice. He is quite a nice 
little boy. He has a great deal of go in him, but he 
will make his own choice, whatever we say.” 

Then Harriet would bend over her book, and pre- 
tend to be very industrious ; while all the time she was 
watching Robina. 

Robina had the wonderful faculty of jumping at 
conclusions. She caught at the sense of a thing in a 
flash. She had also an amazing memory. It was not 
the least trouble to Robina to learn a long poem by 
heart. She also remembered every single word told 
her by her teachers. She had never before been taught 
in the manner she was taught at school; but already 
she was amassing knowledge in a marvelous way. 
Notwithstanding all Harriet’s efforts, Robina, without 
the slightest trouble, kept at the head of the class. 
Every day Harriet tried to supplant her, or, rather, to 
get back her old position, but every single day she tried 
in vain. Robina kept her place in class, and the other 

[59] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

girls now openly said to Harriet that she had not a 
chance. 

“ You have met your master/’ they said, “ and you 
may as well accept the position at once.” 

It was by no means in Harriet’s nature to accept 
any such position, and her lanky little figure and pale 
face seemed to bristle all over with suppressed passion 
when she was addressed in this way. 

On the night before Ralph was to make his decision 
with regard to the school-mothers, Harriet said a word 
to Jane. 

“ By this time to-morrow,” said Harriet, “ we shall 
know everything.” 

“ Oh, yes ; I suppose so,” said Jane. Then she added 
quickly : “ I wish he had not come to the school.” 

“ Who do you mean by that ” asked Harriet. 

“ Ralph — I wish he had not come.” 

“ It can’t make any matter to you,” said Harriet. 

“ It does,” said Jane. “ He is a nice little boy. I 
like him just awfully. He won’t be happy with you.” 

“ What do you mean by that ? ” said Harriet. 

Jane was silent. 

“ You think,” said Harriet, in a low tone, “ that I 
am sure to be selected by Mrs. Burton as his school- 
mother ? ” 

Jane nodded her head. Her little round face was 
quite flushed, and her black eyes were shining. 

“ Did he say anything to you,” asked Harriet, in 
great excitement. Jane nodded. Harriet felt her 
heart beating fast. She suddenly put her long, thin 
arm round Jane’s neck, drew her up to her, and kissed 
her. 

“ Then you have helped me,” she said. “ I knew 
you would. I won’t forget it when the holidays come.” 

Just then some other girls appeared in view, and 

[60] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Jane and Harriet had to separate. The other girls 
walked on arm-in-arm. They consisted of Rose and 
Vivian Amberley, Patience Chetwold and Robina. 
Robina was not quite an fait to the ins and outs of the 
school. She still lived more or less in a world of her 
own. Now, she was rather surprised when Vivian, 
who was leaning on her arm, gave it a violent tug, 
and said in a smothered voice, which only reached 
Robina’s ears: 

“ Oh, I am quite unhappy ! ” 

This was the sort of remark which could not fail to 
interest Robina profoundly. She had been an only 
child all her life, and although she had now and then 
played with another child, and although the one dream 
of her existence was to be surrounded by other chil- 
dren, she had never enjoyed this pleasure daily and 
hourly until she came to school. Robina was full of 
faults, but she had a kind and generous nature. There 
was nothing mean about her, and she was, for an 
only child, absolutely unselfish. Vivian’s remark in 
a low tone was not heard by either Rose or Patience. 
Robina took an opportunity to draw the little girl 
aside, and to ask her what she meant. 

“ It’s about Ralph,” said Vivian. 

“ What about Ralph ? ” asked Robina. 

“ I dare not tell,” said Vivian. 

“ Very well,” said Robina ; “ then there is no use in 
questioning you.” 

“ But I am very, very unhappy, all the same/’ said 
Vivian. 

Robina looked at her longingly. “ Sit down,” she 
said suddenly. 

They had come to a wooden seat under an old oak 
tree. Vivian popped down at once, but Robina still 
stood. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ I don’t know much about school,” said Robina. 
“ I have not been here long. I am not a specially good 
girl; I was often very troublesome at home, but I 
think I know a few things, and perhaps I learnt those 
things at home.” 

“ What are they ? ” asked Vivian. 

“ I have learned,” said Robina, “ to know a good 
girl when I see her. There are some girls in this 
school who are not good.” 

“ Oh, yes ; oh, yes ! ” said Vivian. She turned white, 
and clasped her small hands tightly together. 

“ And there are some girls in this school,” proceeded 
Robina, “ who are not strong,” and she fixed her 
gray eyes on Vivian’s face. 

“ Yes,” said Vivian again, falteringly. 

“ I won’t name them,” said Robina ; “ but I will only 
just say this: that if I were a weak girl in the school, 
I’d just make up my mind that I was. I would not 
pretend that I was strong, for instance, and I’d go and 
tell anything that made me unhappy to the person who 
ought to know.” 

“ Oh, but you wouldn’t, if you were me,” said 
Vivian, suddenly speaking in great excitement. 

“Does the cap fit?” asked Robina. 

“Yes, yes,” answered Vivian; “ it fits. But I can’t, 
I can’t!” 

“ I haven’t the least idea what is the matter,” said 
Robina ; “ but you are unhappy, for you have said so, 
and you are weak, not strong, for you admit it and, 
anyhow, I know. Now, being weak in a school like 
this, where there are some girls who are not good, 
you have no chance at all, unless you go to someone 
stronger than yourself to help you.” 

“ Who ought I to go to ? ” asked Vivian, trembling 
very much. 


[62] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ You ought to go to some of your teachers ” 

“ Oh, I can’t do that — it would be quite too dread- 
ful; you don’t know what they would say of me.” 

“ That is what you ought to do,” said Robina ; “ but 
if you haven’t courage for that, you ought to go to 
one of your school-fellows. You have your two sis- 
ters.” 

“ They are no good at all ; they are not, really.” 

Robina was silent for a minute. Then she said : — 

“ Well, I am of some good, I suppose, and I think, on 
the whole, I am just a tiny bit strong.” 

“ Oh, you are, you are,” said Vivian. “ You are 
just wonderful.” 

“ Well, then, you can come to me.” 

“ But they’ll call me a tell-tale-tit ; they will, they 
will. You don’t know, you can’t know.” 

“ I tell you what you will do,” said Robina. “ You 
will take my hand, and you and I together will go and 
stand before the girls who are making you unhappy. 
You will say : * I can’t stand this, and I am going to 
tell Robina, and Robina will help me to decide as to 
what is best to be done.’ You .won’t *be mean if you 
do that, Vivian, for they will understand. That is 
what you ought to do. Now, I have told you.” 

“ I ought, but I can’t,” said Vivian. She wriggled 
in her seat. Suddenly she sprang up, caught hold of 
Robina’s hands, and kissed them. But Robina 
wrenched them away. 

“No, no; don’t do that,” she said. “I hate being 
kissed by cowards.” 

She turned and left Vivian. The poor girl had never 
felt so small and abject in all her life, for poor Vivian 
was more or less in the secret. Not only had Jane ex- 
plained to Ralph the great advantage of choosing 
Harriet as his school-mother, but Vivian had also been 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


forced into the cause. She had spent a truly most mis- 
erable day, knowing perfectly well what Harriet’s real 
character was, and yet afraid to do anything but urge 
Ralph to choose her as his school-mother during the 
remainder of the term. Alas and alas ! what a dread- 
ful thing it was to be a weak girl, and how Robina 
despised her; and how strong Robina seemed herself, 
and what would not Vivian give in all the wide world 
to have Robina’s strength, and to follow the advice 
which she had given. 

Immediately after breakfast the next day Mrs. Bur- 
ton called the eight girls of the third form into her 
parlor. When they had all assembled, she said to 
them: 

“ You have had your day of trial each, with the ex- 
ception of Robina, whom it was more fair not to count. 
I may as well tell you frankly that I think Robina will 
be elected as Ralph’s school-mother, and I may as 
well, also, tell you now that I shall be glad if that is 
the case. At the same time I may be mistaken.” 

There came a sort of gasp from several of the girls. 
Harriet was standing quite in the background. Her 
face was quite pale. She felt her heart beating almost 
to suffocation. Oh, that pony, with his side-saddle. 
Oh, that habit made to fit so perfectly! Oh, the joy 
of going home in the holidays with such a companion 
— such an unfailing source of delight! Would not 
Harriet in future be a heroine in her home? What 
would not the others give to be the owner of a real 
flesh and blood pony ? She did not mind how low she 
stooped in order to obtain it. 

Mrs. Burton paused, and looked round at the differ- 
ent girls. 

“ My dears,” she said, “ I doubt not that you are in- 
terested, not, perhaps, in Ralph for himself, but in the 



The gentleman was holding by the hand a small boy.” (See page 32) 




THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

thought of the prize which Ralph’s father, Mr. Dur- 
rant, has offered you. I have my own ideas with re- 
gard to that prize; but Mr. Durrant wishes you to 
have it, and there is nothing more to be said. The 
girl whom little Ralph himself selects as his school- 
mother will at the end of the term be the possessor of 
the pony — that is, always provided that she fulfills her 
duties to my perfect satisfaction. When Ralph has 
made his choice, he must, of course, abide by it, un- 
less something quite out of the common occurs ; but I 
must assure you in advance, my dear girls, that the 
post of school-mother will be no sinecure. The girl 
who has charge of Ralph must be patient and remem- 
ber that he is only a very little boy. He will be neces- 
sarily thrown a great deal with the younger children, 
and the girl who is his school-mother must not only be 
patient with him, but she must help him to learn his 
little lessons. He must sit by her side at meals, and 
every morning she must rise a little earlier than usual 
in order to dress him, and every evening she must 
leave the playground in order to put him to bed. It 
will soon be perceived whether he is happy or not in 
her company. Now, I think I have said all that is 
necessary, and Ralph himself shall come in and de- 
cide.” 

Mrs. Burton rang a little silver bell which stood on 
the table. Miss Ford, the mistress who had the charge 
of the small children, immediately appeared. 

“ Will you bring Ralph Durrant into the room ? ” 
said Mrs. Burton. 

A minute later, Ralph marched in. He looked his 
very manliest. Every girl in the form felt her heart 
going pit-a-pat as she watched him. He was wearing 
a little suit of white on this warm day, but there was a 
crimson tie fastening his collar. Nothing could have 

e [65] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


been sweeter than his dress, and no little face in all 
the world could have looked more eager and lovely. 
He had the perfect self-possession of a very young 
child. He came straight up to Mrs. Burton, holding 
out his hand. 

“ Good morning, Mrs. Burton,” he said. 

“ Good morning, Ralph, my dear,” she replied. 
“ Will you come and stand with me, Ralph, up here ? ” 
“ Oh, thank you so very much,” said Ralph. 

He mounted on to the little dais, and Mrs. Burton, 
taking his hand, led him forward. 

“ You see all these girls, Ralph,” she said. “ They 
are all your great friends, are they not? ” 

“ Oh, yes ! said Ralph. He looked eagerly from 
one face to the other. To begin with, there was 
Robina. He had not seen her for a week. She was 
standing very erect; her face was quite calm and 
strong and kind. She looked full at Ralph, but with 
no special pleading in her eyes. She would have 
liked to be his school-mother, and she wanted the 
pony very much; but not for worlds would she con- 
descend to plead with him. A great deal can be 
conveyed by the glance of an eye, and Robina’s eyes 
were of the sort that could convey any number of 
messages to the sensitive, warm heart of a little child. 
But at the present moment they were dumb. Ralph 
looked past her. 

“ Here are all your kind friends, said Mrs. Burton. 
“You know Robina Starling. This is Robina. You 
remember how very kind she was to you and Curly 
Pate on the day you arrived. She helped you during 

that hard time when your father went away ” 

“ And I didn’t cry not one tear,” said Ralph, giving 
an eager glance at Mrs. Burton, and then looking back 
at Robina. Oh, if only her eyes had said then: 

[ 66 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Come to me,” he would have chosen her above all 
the others. But the proud eyes were dumb. 

“ Yes,” continued Mrs. Burton, “ this is Robina 
Starling, your great friend. And here comes Fred- 
erica. You had, I know, a very pleasant day with 
her.” 

“ Very pleasant,” said Ralph. “ Good morning, 
Frederica,” he added, saying the words in a clear, 
sweet little voice. 

“ And this is Patience, Frederica’s sister.” Pa- 
tience smiled at him quite broadly, and he smiled back 
at her just as though they held a secret between them, 
and the secret was very good fun. 

“ And this is Rose. You cannot forget how happy 
you were with Rose.” 

“ Oh, yes, of course, I was,” said Ralph. “ Good 
morning, Rose.” 

“ Good morning, dear,” said Rose. 

“And this is,” said Mrs. Burton, slightly altering 
her voice, as though it were scarcely worth while to 
speak of Harriet, “ this is Harriet. You spent Sat- 
urday with Harriet.” 

Ralph colored. All the girls noticed how a 
flame of red swept over his little face. His eyes 
grew dark. He looked full at Harriet, as though she 
fascinated him. 

“ And this is Jane Bush. And now we come to 
Cecil Amberley. I am sure Cecil would be kind to 
any little boy.” 

“ Yes, oh, yes,” said Ralph. 

“And last but not least, here is Vivian. You were 
with Vivian yesterday, don’t you remember ? ” 

“ I remember,” said Ralph. 

“ Then, my dear little boy, you are acquainted with 
every girl in the third form. Now, listen to me. It 

[67] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


is your dear father’s wish that one of these girls 
should take, as far as possible, the place of a mother to 
you during the remainder of the term. For three 
weeks, Ralph, until your father returns, you will be 
given over to the special care of one of these girls; 
and your father wishes you, as being, he considers, 
a very wise little boy, to choose your school-mother 
yourself. Having made a choice, you must abide by 
it, unless I personally interfere. That I shall not do 
except under extreme circumstances. Now, my boy, 
you have no cause to be afraid. Choose boldly the 
girl you like best, the girl with whom you will be 
happiest. Remember, Robina was your oldest friend, 
and Vivian your newest friend; the others came be- 
tween. Look well at them all, and make your choice, 
as a wise little boy should.” 

Again Ralph looked full at Robina, and again 
Robina knew that her eyes had but to say : “ Come,” 
and not all the gipsies in all the world, nor all the 
picnic teas and breakfasts and boxes of matches in 
a little boy’s pocket, and possible knives — the temp- 
tation to possess which a little boy might succumb 
to — could have influenced Ralph in the very least. 
But alack and alas! for all that was to follow: those 
eyes still were dumb. So Ralph’s own brown eyes 
wandered past Robina and rested, without any special 
desire or longing in them, on Frederica’s face, and 
past Frederica to Patience, and then they lingered and 
seemed to dilate, and the whole little face trembled 
as the boy gazed at Harriet. But even now he was 
wise, and would not make his choice too hastily ; for, 
past Harriet, his eyes traveled to Jane, who looked 
down, and turned white and pink, and from Jane he 
gazed at Cecil, who was all unconscious and looked 
full back at him, being quite certain in her heart of 
[ 68 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Hearts that she would not be the one chosen ; and then 
he looked at Vivian, who, as a matter of fact, counted 
nothing at all to him. 

His heart beat. He thought of a hundred things, 
but most of all at that moment of not learning to 
read much, of not troubling himself with figures, of 
being the manly sort of boy who would play with fire 
and not be burnt, and have knives and not be cut, and, 
above all things, of a certain gipsy caravan which was 
called a house on wheels. Once again, his eyes sought 
those of Harriet; and now she looked boldly at him, 
and Ralph looked boldly back at her, and smiled, and, 
loosing his hold of Mrs. Burton’s hand, he said in a 
loud voice : 

“ I choose Harriet for my school-mother, because 
I love her the best of all.” 


[69] 


CHAPTER VIII 


CONSEQUENCES 

The astonishment which this announcement caused 
in the school may be better imagined than described. 
Even Mrs. Burton was struck dumb for a minute. 
Then she said quietly: 

“ Harriet, you are the favored one. Will you 
please take Ralph to Miss Ford, and get her to set him 
his lessons, and then will you take him into the third 
form room, and give him a seat by yourself and at- 
tend to his work in the intervals when you can spare 
some moments from your own? I will arrange later 
on that you have plenty of time to do this. Now, 
my dear, attend to your duties. You have been elected 
in a fair field, and I don’t think any favor has been 
shown, and I congratulate you, and hope you will be 
the proud possessor of the prize pony on the day 
when you leave school.” 

The rest of the girls in the form congratulated Har- 
riet also, and she walked out of Mrs. Burton’s par- 
lor with her head in the air, holding Ralph by the 
hand. Never had such a moment of intoxicating 
triumph been given her before. She was trembling 
from head to foot. 

“ Now we’ll have fun, won’t we? ” whispered Ralph. 

“ Yes, of course,” said Harriet back. “ But come 
along at once, Ralph. We must get your lessons. 
You will be a very good little boy, won’t you, and not 
[ 70 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


too troublesome ? ” She longed to add : “ I can’t 

stand troublesome children/’ but refrained for the 
time being. 

Miss Ford gave Ralph some easy lessons, telling 
Harriet where his weak points lay, and how often he 
ought to repeat them over to her. 

“ You must be very particular indeed with regard 
to his sums,” she said. These sums in addition and 
this little one in subtraction must be done perfectly. 
I think that is all for to-day.” 

Harriet, still holding Ralph’s hand, but holding it 
rather loosely, marched now in the direction of the 
third form class-room. As they were going there, 
Ralph spoke: 

“ I thought — I thought — that — if you were my 
school-mother, there would not be sums and things.” 

“ Oh, nonsense ! ” replied Harriet, rather tartly. 
“ There must be sums and things, as you call them. 
How are you to be wise if you don’t learn? ” she con- 
tinued. Then, seeing that the color swept over his 
face, she added hastily, “ I won’t be hard on you, no 
fear, and when lessons are over, we’ll have great fun.” 

“ Yes, great fun,” repeated Ralph. “ The gipsies, 
perhaps ? ” he added, pleadingly. 

But Harriet, who had not the least idea in her 
heart of hearts of bothering herself with regard to 
gipsies, was silent. They entered the school-room, 
where all eyes followed them to their seats. Ralph’s 
choice was considered too wonderful for words, and 
more than one girl felt that the thing had been man- 
aged by foul play. What had occurred they could not 
tell, but they were positively certain that Ralph of his 
own accord would never have chosen Harriet. 

Meanwhile, lessons went on, and Ralph struggled 
over tasks which Robina or any other girl in the 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


form would have rendered easy and pleasant for him, 
but which Harriet did not trouble herself to think 
about. 

“ Don’t bother ! ” she whispered once quite crossly, 
when he pulled her sleeve. 

Towards the end of the morning it was with great 
difficulty that the little boy could keep back his tears. 
Of course, he had made a splendid choice, and Har- 
riet was delightful; but, still — but, still — how he did 
wish he knew how to take nine from seven! Nine 
would not go from seven because seven wasn’t as 
much as nine. Oh, how was it done? Then there 
was six from five. He came to the conclusion at last 
that sums were not meant for little boys; it was be- 
yond the power of the human brain to manage sums ; 
not even his own father could take six from five. 
He began in his restlessness to tear up paper, making 
five little pieces, and then six little pieces, and won- 
dering how he could ever take the greater out of the 
less. 

“ Harriet,” he whispered at last, tugging at her arm, 
“ it can’t be done ; see for yourself.” 

“ Don’t bother,” whispered Harriet again. But 
then she saw Robina’s eyes fixed on her face, and, 
suddenly recovering herself, bent down over Ralph. 

“ What is the matter, you little troublesome thing ? ” 
she said. 

“ I can’t take six from five,” answered the boy. 

" Oh, you goose ! ” said Harriet ; “ borrow ten. 
Now, then, peg away.” 

What Harriet meant was Greek to Ralph. “ Bor- 
row ten ? ” he murmured to himself, “ borrow ten ? ” 

It was a very hot day, and Ralph, try as he would, 
could not borrow ten. There was no one to borrow 
it from. .The windows were open at the opposite side 

[72], 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


of the great room, and a bee came in and sailed lazily 
round. The bee, in his velvety brown coat, was 
watched by a pair of eyes as soft, as brown as his 
own velvet coat. The bee never borrowed ten, that 
was certain; no more could he. Oh, he was sleepy, 
and lessons were horrid, and sums were the worst of 
all. And why, why, why did not his school-mother 
really help him? 

He was just dropping off to sleep when a brisk 
voice said in his ear : 

“ What is the matter, Ralph ? ” He looked round, 
and there was Robina. 

“ I am sleepy,” said Ralph. “ It’s because I can’t 
borrow ten. Will you lend it to me ? ” 

Robina bent down over the slate, where poor little 
Ralph was making a muddle of his sums. 

“ This is the way you do it,” she said. 

She explained so simply ; the child understood. His 
eyes brightened. 

“ Oh, thank you, thank you ! ” he answered. “ Why, 
it’s quite nice now, quite nice.” 

“ Well, you won’t forget another time,” said Robina. 
She had to go back to her own seat. She took care 
in doing so not to glance at Harriet. 

At last school time was over, and the young people 
went into the gardens. Ralph now felt happy once 
more. His idea was that Harriet — dear, kind, fasci- 
nating Harriet, who had made him so intensely happy 
on the day when she had been his trial school-mother 
— would now take him all away by himself. She 
would sit somewhere under a tree, and get him to sit 
by her side, and tell him her plans. These plans 
must surely include a picnic tea and a visit to the 
gipsies. Ralph felt now that every desire in his life 
was centered round the gipsies. 

[73]. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Come, Harrie,” he said, tugging at her sleeve, 
“ come away, please.” 

“ What’s the matter ? ” asked Harriet. 

“ Why — we want to be all by our lones,” said 
Ralph. “We have such lots to talk about!” 

Harriet looked down at him. She looked down 
at a little boy, with flushed cheeks and lovely eyes 
and a tremulous, rosy mouth, and a little face all 
full of love and soul and feeling. But it was not 
given to Harriet, even for a minute, to see this little 
boy as he really was. She only saw through him a 
pony — a flesh and blood pony, with its side-saddle; 
and she saw a girl with a perfectly-fitting habit who 
owned the pony, and this girl was herself. 

“ Well,” she said a little crossly, for she had a great 
deal to do that afternoon, and meant to have a right 
good time at a great picnic where all the girls were 
going, and where, of course, she would be, in honor 
of her triumph that morning, the principal personage. 
“ Well,” she repeated, “ what is it? ” 

“ I have such a lot to say,” whispered Ralph. 

“ Come along here, then, Ralph, and say it. What 
do you want ? ” 

“ Why, Harriet, I thought — I thought ” 

“ Now, I tell you what,” said Harriet. “ You and 
I must understand each other. You’re a very good 
little boy, and I like you enormously, and I’ll be ever 
so kind to you. You don’t know what luck you’re in 
to have chosen me for your school-mother. I don’t 
know what would have come to you if you had chosen 
any of the others. But you mustn’t be selfish, you 
know.” 

“ No,” said Ralph, winking back a tear, “ ’course 
not.” 

“ And there’s another thing. You must never again 

174 } 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

allow that horrid girl, Robina, to help you with your 
sums. Now, do you hear? You did look silly over 
that sum in subtraction; and, of course, Robina, who 
hates me, was watching her opportunity.” 

“ I don’t know what opportunity is,” said Ralph. 

" Oh, well — I can’t tell you — you’re a baby. Any- 
how, don’t do it again, do you hear? ” 

“ Very well, Harriet,” said Ralph. 

It was just at that moment, and before a single 
word could be said with regard to the afternoon of 
that half-holiday, and the gipsies and all the great, 
great fun which Ralph so looked forward to, that 
Miss Ford came up to Harriet, and drew her a little 
aside. 

“ Mrs. Burton wishes me to say, Harriet, that she 
will not expect you to join the picnic to-day on ac- 
count of Ralph Durrant. 

“ And why not, pray ? ” asked Harriet, turning very 
red. 

“ Because they are going too far away, and he 
would not be back in time for bed, so you are to stay 
at home to look after him.” 

“ Well, I like that,” said Harriet. “ I won’t do any- 
thing of the kind.” 

“ Oh, you needn’t stay, really, Harriet,” interrupted 
Ralph, who gave up all thought of the gipsies on the 
spot. “Do please go, Harriet. I don’t mind being 
left.” 

Harriet looked eagerly at him. 

“ Don’t you ? ” she said. “ Oh, I am sure you don’t ; 
you are a very good little boy.” 

“But, I am afraid,” said Miss Ford, “that is not 
the question. Ralph’s school-mother accepts certain 
duties, which she must perform, and you can’t go to 
the picnic, Harriet, for Mrs. Burton forbids it. She 
[ 75 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


says you are to stay at home and look after Ralph, 
and make him as happy as possible.” 

Harriet, who never denied herself, was suddenly 
forced to do so, and in the most disagreeable, unex- 
pected way. She almost hated Ralph at that moment. 
His brown eyes did not in the least appeal to her, and 
when he snuggled to her side, and tried to take her 
hand, she pushed him almost roughly away. 

“ I hate being pawed ! ” said Harriet. “ You must 
understand that, Ralph, if you are to be with me al- 
ways. Very well, Miss Ford,” she continued, turn- 
ing to the teacher. “ I must do what is right, of 
course. ,, 

“ Of course, vou must,” said Miss Ford, and she 
marched away, saying to herself that she pitied Ralph, 
and wondering — as, indeed, everyone else was won- 
dering — why Harriet had been chosen as his school- 
mother. 


[76] 


CHAPTER IX 


A VISIT TO THE FAIR 

Almost immediately after early dinner, two wag- 
onettes came up to the door, and the girls of the 
sixth form and the girls of the third form, with their 
governesses and Mrs. Burton herself, started off for 
a long and happy day in some distant woods. They 
were to visit the ruins of Chudleigh Castle and go up 
to the top of Peter’s Tower — a celebrated place in the 
neighborhood — and afterwards they were to have tea 
on the grass; and, best of all, they need not return 
home until the moon came up. 

The moonlight drive home would be the most fas- 
cinating part of the whole expedition. For days and 
days this picnic to Chudleigh Castle had been talked 
about; and Harriet, with the others, had enjoyed it in 
anticipation. Now, she had to stand by, gloomily 
holding Ralph’s hand, while the carriages were packed 
with radiant, happy girls, and, what was still harder, 
she had to listen to their gay shouts, and, in partic- 
ular, to their badinage at her expense. 

“ I hope you’ll enjoy yourself, Harriet,” said Rose 
Amberley. 

“ I hope you and Ralph will have fun, my dear,” 
said Agnes Winter, one of the sixth form girls, whom 
it was a great honor to know, and whom Harriet 
secretly adored. Even her own special chum, Jane, 
was looking flushed and pleased — disgustingly flushed 
[ 77 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


and pleased, thought Harriet. And there was that 
little weak Vivian giggling in the silly way she always 
did, and casting covert glances at her, and, of course, 
laughing at her in her sleeve. And there was that 
odious Robina, not looking at her at all, but calmly 
taking her seat, and making others laugh whenever 
she spoke to them. Oh, it was all distracting, and 
for the time being so angry was Harriet that even 
the prospective pony lost its charm. 

At last the wagonettes started on their journey. 
The sound of their wheels ceased to be heard. Still- 
ness followed commotion ; gay laughter was succeeded 
by — in Harriet's opinion — a sort of void. Again 
Ralph tugged her arm. 

“ Now,” he said, “ now it’s gipsies, isn't it?" 

“ It's nothing of the kind, you horrid, little trouble- 
some thing," said Harriet. “ I am not going to take 
you to see the gipsies to-day — no, nor any day, for 
the present. Oh, stop that blubbering, or I'll smack 
you." 

“ You did once before," said Ralph steadily, and he 
looked her full in the face, tears arrested in his eyes, 
and his own color coming and going. 

Harriet immediately saw that she had gone too 
far. She altered her tone. 

“ Please forgive me, Ralph," she said. “ I know 
I am cross ; I wanted so very much to go to that pic- 
nic, and I can't because of you." 

“ I don't understand," said Ralph. “ I wouldn't 
mind." 

“ Yes," said Harriet crossly ; “ that's not the ques- 
tion. You are considered a baby, and you must be 
treated as one.’’ 

“ I aren't a baby ! " said Ralph, in great indigna- 
tion. “ Father said I am a real manly boy." 

[78] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Well, prove yourself one,” said Harriet. Don’t 
cry when I speak a little sharply, and don’t worry me 
about the gipsies. I will take you to see them when 
I can, because I promised to take you ; but you’re not 
to remind me of them, for if you do I’ll be very 
angry.” 

“ I won’t ever, ever speak of them again/’ said 
Ralph, gulping down a sob. 

“ Well, that’s all right,” said Harriet. She moved 
restlessly across the lawn. Curly Pate and the other 
small children were tumbling about on the grass. 
Ralph looked longingly at Curly Pate. Curly Pate 
clapped her pretty hands, and ran to meet him. 

“ I keen — oo king ! ” she s^id. 

Harriet stood by restlessly. How contemptible it 
all was! Those silly little children, that tiresome 
Miss Ford, the empty house, the empty gardens, and 
the pleasure party far away — the pleasure party with 
some of its members laughing in their sleeves at 
her! Yes, she knew that fact quite well. That de- 
testable little Jane was laughing. She saw the laughter 
hidden behind her smug face. And that horrid Vivian, 
she was all one giggle, and last, but not least, there 
was the detestable Robina — on this day of all days 
to laugh at Harriet seemed the final straw! She had 
had her great moment of victory; she had proved to 
Robina that she was the favorite — was the chosen 
one, was the beloved of the little boy about whom the 
school chose to make such a fuss. But oh, dear ! 
there was reaction after triumph, and this reaction 
took place when Harriet found what were the duties 
imposed upon her by motherhood. She must take care 
of her little boy while the others went out a-pleasur- 
ing. 

By this time, however, Ralph had forgotten all 

[7 9] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

about her. He and Curly Pate had gone away to a 
little distance. Curly Pate was on her knees picking 
daisies, and Ralph was standing over her, after the 
fashion of kings when they choose to govern their 
queens and give directions. 

“ Longer stems, Curly ; bigger flowers, Curly. Oh, 
you silly! not that one — that one with the red all 
round, it’s broader. Now, then — Til show you how 
to pick them.” 

“ Peese, king ! peese ! ” replied the impatient queen. 

Harriet was not interested in the small children, 
and just at that moment something occurred. 

A girl from the neighborhood, of the name of Pat- 
tie Pyke, was seen walking down the avenue. She was 
the doctor’s daughter, and was the only girl who was 
ever allowed to come to the school to take lessons. 
She joined the third form twice a week for German 
lessons, but was never with them during recreation. 
In consequence, she was scarcely counted at all in 
the school life. Harriet and she, however, had man- 
aged to take up a sort of acquaintanceship which never 
until this moment had developed into friendship. 
Pattie was a plain girl, large for her age, stoutly 
built, and with a face covered with freckles. She had 
small blue eyes and a snub nose. Her hair was some- 
what inclined to be carroty, and she had white eye- 
lashes and eyebrows. Notwithstanding this, she was 
a pleasant girl enough, and had plenty of ability. 

“ Hallo ! ” she said now, when she saw Harriet. 
“Why, I thought, of course, you’d be off to the pic- 
nic ! ” 

“ Well, I’m not, you see,” answered Harriet un- 
graciously ; “ I am here.” 

Pattie drew nigh. The real desire of her life was 
to make friends with one of the schoolgirls. She 
[80] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


was always imploring her father to send her to the 
school as a boarder, but hitherto he had been deaf to 
her entreaties. 

“ I was coming to the school with a note," said 
Pattie ; “ Father told me to leave it. I did not think 
I'd meet one of you. I am surprised to see you." 

“Well, you need not be. You were not at school 
this morning, or you would know why I am here." 

“ No, I had a cold, and Father thought I had best 
not go. He is so awfully particular, for fear of my 
giving anything to the rest of the girls. I am better 
now, but I must not be out long; my throat is rather 
sore.'* 

“ You look quite well," said Harriet. 

“ It's only my throat that's a little bad. Please, 
do tell me about this morning." 

“ And the great triumph for me," said Harriet. 
“ Ralph, don't go out of sight ! " 

She shrieked these words to Ralph, who immediately 
paused, turned, and looked at her, then came in her 
direction, holding Curly Pate's hand. 

“ Do you see that child ? " said Harriet. 

“Yes — the little darling!" cried Pattie. Little 
Ralph Durrant. Father raves about him ; he says that 
he will be the richest man in England some day." 

“ Oh, well," said Harriet ; “ he is a very trouble- 
some little boy now. But, nevertheless, I am pleased. 
His father has made a most ridiculous proposal. He 
said that Ralph was to choose one of us to be his 
school-mother — I can tell you it was thought a great 
honor — and he chose me." 

“You?" cried Pattie. 

“Yes; are you surprised?" 

“ Oh, no ! " answered Pattie ; but she was, never- 
theless. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Well, I am the chosen one, and I can tell you 
I had my triumph. Those other girls, especially that 
new girl, Robina Starling, was sure that one of them 
would be cock-o’-the-walk ; but not a bit of it — my 
little boy chose me.” 

“ That was nice for you,” said Pattie ; “ only I 
should not have thought you would have cared to be 
bothered by a child.” 

“ It’s not that,” said Harriet, lowering her voice ; 
for, really, under the circumstances, any sympathizer 
was better than none. “ A good deal depends on it. 
I will explain to you another time. Of course, there 
are drawbacks. I have the charge of that small per- 
son, and in consequence can’t enjoy myself at the pic- 
nic to-day.” 

“ Oh, what a pity 1 ” said Pattie. 

“ It is, isn’t it? ” 

“ And you are all alone this lovely, lovely day?” 

“ It is true,” said Plarriet. “ Well, I suppose I must 
take the rough with the smooth.” 

“ I tell you what,” cried Pattie, in some excitement. 
“ Couldn’t you come home and have tea with me ? 
It would be such fun ! You might bring Ralph 
with you, you know. Of course, you would be 
allowed to come, and it is only a stone’s throw 
away.” 

“ I wish I could ; I’d like it very much,” said Har- 
riet. 

“ Do come,” said Pattie. “ We’ll manage after- 
wards to go out and see the fair in the village.” 

“ Oh, I am sure I wouldn’t be allowed to take 
Ralph to the fair.” 

“ He need not come ; indeed, we wouldn’t want 
him. We’d manage somehow to leave him behind ; 
there are lots of people at home to look after him. 

[82] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

Oh, do, do come. You need not say a word to any- 
body.” 

Harriet thought for a minute. After all, Miss 
Ford had no control over her. Miss Ford had only 
the charge of the little children; there was no one’s 
leave to be asked. She was the school-mother of' 
Ralph. Of course, it must never be told, for it was 
against the strict rules of the school that any girl 
should venture out of the grounds without leave. It 
is true that Harriet had gone in the spring cart to 
town last week ; but, after all, she had got leave to do 
that, for she had run to the house to ask for it. “ If 
Mrs. Burton was at home, I know she would not 
mind, ,, said Harriet eagerly. “ But I can’t ask her 
leave, as she isn’t here. If we go, we must be back 
quite early; we must be back before old Ford misses 
us. That’s the nuisance ! ” 

“ You can manage that,” said Pattie. It’s early 
now. We’ll go straight home, and have tea. Then 
Mother or someone will look after that little Ralph 
of yours, and you and I will just run down to the 
fair, and see what is to be seen. Do, do come, Har- 
riet ! I should so love to have you ! ” 

“ All right,” said Harriet. 

She looked around her. Miss Ford was nowhere 
in sight. So much the better. Ralph was called 
sharply back to her side. He came, Curly Pate trot- 
ting after him. 

“ I ont my king,” called the school baby. 

“ Then you will do without him,” said Harriet 
roughly. “ Go back to your play, you little silly. 
Run back at once.” 

Curly Pate burst into loud screams and yells, and 
Ralph, forgetting his allegiance to Harriet, flung his 
arms round her and comforted her valiantly. 

m 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


In the midst of this scene, Miss Ford hurried up. 

“ What is the matter ? ” she asked. 

“Ralph and Pattie and I are going away for a 
little by ourselves,” said Harriet. “ Curly Pate wants 
to come with us; but we don’t want her.” 

“ Yes, I want her,” said Ralph. 

“ Why can’t the child go with you ? ” asked Miss 
Ford. 

“ No, she can’t,’’ said Harriet, looking very cross. 

“ Very well, darling,” said Miss Ford, catching the 
child in her arms and kissing her. “ I’ve got some- 
thing so nice to show you.” 

She carried the weeping baby away, and Ralph, 
with a great pain at his heart, followed Harriet. His 
school-mother! Oh, yes, she was that. But did he 
like her? He was not sure. She puzzled him ex- 
tremely. She was not half as interesting as on that 
wonderful day when she had devoted herself to him, 
and told him stories about the gipsies. 

As soon as ever Miss Ford had turned the corner, 
and had carried the weeping Curly Pate out of sight, 
Harriet turned to Pattie. 

“ Now we must be very quick,” she said. “ If you 
don’t mind, we will run all the way.” 

“Where is we going?” asked Ralph. 

“ We are going to have a jolly time,” replied Har- 
riet. “ Now, Ralph, you clearly understand ; you are 
going to be put on your honor.” 

“ Yes,” said Ralph, looking important ; “ Father 
says that sometimes.” 

“ ‘ Your honor ’ means this,” continued Harriet : 
“ You will never tell anybody what we are doing.” 

“ Course not,” replied Ralph. “ I aren’t a tell-tale.” 

“ He isn’t, either,” said Harriet, looking at Pattie. 
“He is quite a good little boy, when he chooses. 

[84] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Well, then, we are ready, and I hope, Pattie, you are 
prepared to give us a very good time.” 

Pattie answered at once that she was. In her heart 
of hearts, however, she was doubtful. Her father and 
mother were poor. Dr. Pyke’s practice was not a 
large one, and he found it difficult to make both ends 
meet. Then, there were numerous little Pykes at 
home — Pykes of all ages, from Pattie, whose years 
numbered twelve, to the baby, who was only three 
months old. It seemed to Pattie that the children 
swarmed everywhere. Still, she had a whole shilling 
stowed away in her purse in the corner of a drawer in 
her bedroom, that could be spent at the fair, and it 
was grand and delightful to bring a girl from Mrs. 
Burton’s to tea with her, and she also felt sure that 
little Ralph would have a welcome. 

When they reached the house, an ivy-covered house 
of old-fashioned make, which stood a little back from 
the village street, she found the hall door open. 

“ Now, then, Harriet, come in,” she said, and Har- 
riet and Ralph entered. 

An untidy-looking servant was crossing the hall. 

“ Anastasia,” said Pattie, “ will you get tea in the 
drawing-room, please ? ” 

Anastasia stared at her. 

“ Indeed, I can’t, miss. Your ma is out, and all the 
older children have gone to the park with Miss Fry ” 
• — Miss Fry was the much overworked nursery gover- 
ness — “and the missis told me,” continued Anastasia, 
“ that I was to wash the handkerchiefs and things 
this afternoon. I have no time to bring tea into the 
drawing-room, and why should I do it? You always 
has it in the school-room.” 

“ I’d much rather have tea in the school-room, 
Pattie,” said Harriet. 


[ 85 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ And so would I,” echoed Ralph. 

“ You must get your own tea, miss,” continued 
Anastasia, by no means abashed by the sight of Harriet 
in her ordinary school frock, and not particularly 
struck by the beauty of little Ralph. 

“ I am ever so sorry,” said Pattie, coloring high ; 
“ but this is rather an unfortunate day. One of our 
maids is out, and Mother’s away ; and, in short — do 
you greatly mind waiting in the drawing-room while 
I get the tea ? ” 

“ I don’t much care about tea at all,” said Harriet, 
who was not a bit gracious, and who was rather 
disgusted with the appearance of Pattie Pyke’s 
home. “ You needn’t bother, as far as I am con- 
cerned.” 

“ And I don’t want no tea,” said Ralph ; “ I aren’t 
a bit hungry.” 

He looked pleadingly and sorrowfully at Pattie, as 
much as to say : “ Please, please, don’t trouble.” 

Poor Pattie, whose face was scarlet with mortifica- 
tion, insisted on providing a meal. 

“ You can’t come into the school-room,” she said a 
little crossly. “ The boys do leave it in such a mess. 
There is the rabbit-hutch in one corner, and I know 
Jim and Davie were washing Smut there this after- 
noon. You must come into the drawing-room. I will 
manage to get you some tea. Don’t stare, Anastasia. 
Go at once, and see that the kettle is boiling.” 

Pattie conducted her guests into a small, very hot 
drawing-room. She then left them, and, after about a 
quarter of an hour, reappeared with a tray containing 
very poor tea and some stale cake. Oh, how hot was 
that little room! It faced due south, and scarcely a 
breath of air came through the open bay window. 
Ralph felt very tired; he did not know why. He 
[ 86 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


had had a trying morning. Those sums had worried 
him, and Harriet’s conduct had also worried him, al- 
though he was not aware of that fact at present. 

When the tea had come to an end, Harriet said 
quickly : 

“ Now, the fun is really going to begin ; you and I 
will hurry off to the fair, Pattie. I can’t stay late, 
as your know, for I must smuggle Ralph back before 
Miss Ford misses him. You will stay quietly here, 
Ralph. You will be a good boy? I couldn’t take you 
to the fair, even if I wished it; for, in the first place, 
I haven’t any money.” 

“ But I have a shilling — a whole shilling,” said 
Pattie, feeling all of a sudden quite grand and im- 
portant. 

“ I am very sorry,” continued Harriet, speaking in a 
firm voice ; “ but I shall be obliged to borrow my en- 
trance money from you, Pattie. I will pay you next 
week, when my pocket-money comes in. There will 
be enough for us both to go in and also to have a 
turn on the merry-go-round ” 

“And we must see the fat lady and the man with 
two heads,” said Pattie. 

“ But why mustn’t I see them, too ? ” asked Ralph, 
whose little face was scarlet now, and his voice quite 
choky with anger and disappointment. 

“ No, you mustn’t, Ralph,” said Harriet. “And 
now I will tell you why ! I, your mother, don’t choose 
it. You have got to obey me, you know. I am a 
big girl, and you are a very little boy ; you must stay 
here quietly, and wait for me. I will return for you 
before long. Now, be a good child, and don’t cry: 
it is very babyish to cry.” 

Ralph stood quite still. The scarlet flush had faded 
from his face. After a minute, he said: 

m 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Course it’s babyish, and I aren't crying.” 

“ Then that is all right,” said Harriet. “ Stay here 
till I fetch you. Come, Pattie.” 

The two little girls left the room. 


1881 


CHAPTER X 


THE GIPSIES 

How hot was that drawing-room to the tired little 
boy! His head quite ached, he did not know why; 
he could not understand his own sensations. There 
was a very ugly look-out, too, for the bay window 
opened into a tiny garden, which was full now of 
clothes hanging on lines and flapping in what little 
breeze there was. Ralph could not see anything be- 
yond the white line of clothes/ 

He went to the window, half inclined to go into 
the garden ; but, as it was so uninviting, he did not 
venture. He returned to the ugly room, and looked 
at what was left of the make-shift tea. It certainly 
was hard that he had not been allowed to go to the 
fair. He would so have liked to have a ride on the 
merry-go-round, and to see the fat lady and the man 
with two heads. How was it possible for anyone to 
have two heads ? He felt his own little soft neck, and 
wondered where the other head could appear. He sat 
down very thoughtfully to consider this problem. It 
was really more difficult than borrowing ten, and 
much, much more interesting. It seemed to him even 
more interesting than seeing gipsies : the brown, brown 
gipsies, with their house on wheels, had none of them 
two heads. He would love beyond anything to gaze 
at the person who possessed such treasures. 

m 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Certainly his school-mother was not too kind. He 
could not understand her to-day, but, having chosen 
her, he felt somehow that it was his bounden duty to 
be as good as possible, and to think as kindly as pos- 
sible about her. So he very determinedly shut away 
from his little mind all unkind thoughts with regard 
to Harriet. Of course, he was a troublesome little 
boy, and he ought to have known all about borrowing 
ten, and he ought to understand now why little boys 
should stay in very hot rooms while big girls went 
away to fairs and merry-go-rounds, and delightful 
shows full of queer people. Oh, yes : of course, it was 
all right ; only he did wish his head was not so swimmy 
— yes, that was how he expressed his feeling. 

He sank down at last on a very uncomfortable 
sofa with a broken spring, and the next minute fell 
fast asleep. He did not know, poor little boy, how 
long he slept ; but when he awoke he felt very much 
startled and puzzled, for it had grown quite late, and 
the sun had gone away, and the room was no longer 
so hot. The clothes, too, had all been taken down 
from their lines, and he could see across the ugly gar- 
den. 

It was a very small garden ; but there was a gate 
at the . further end, and the gate was standing open ; 
and beyond the gate was a field with a path leading 
across it; and, lo and behold! at the far, far end of 
the field was a very brown man standing quite still, 
and holding a lot of baskets in his hand. They were 
baskets of all sorts and shapes and sizes ; and there 
was something about the man and the baskets which 
caused Ralph’s heart to beat. 

He went cautiously to the window, and gazed across 
the garden and across the fields at the man. The man 
was yery brown, and he carried baskets. Gipsies car- 

[90] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ried baskets; they always did; Ralph had heard so. 
He did not believe that there was ever a basket in the 
whole world that had not once been carried by a 
gipsy. 

Suppose he went and talked to the man; there 
would be no harm in that; it would be interesting to 
him. Harriet had told him to stay where he was, but 
then Harriet did not know that there would be — first, 
an open window, and then an open gate, and beyond 
the gate a gipsy — the very person Ralph longed to 
see ! 

The temptation was too much for him. He was 
too tired, and too lonely, and too much a very little 
boy to resist it. Swiftly he rose from his uncomfort- 
able sofa, pushed back his tumbled hair, and flying, 
first across the garden and then across the field, 
reached the brown man’s side. 

“ Please,” said Ralph earnestly, looking up with his 
brown eyes at the brown face, “ is you a gipsy ? ” 

“ I be that, little master,” said the man, and he 
gazed down inquisitively and perhaps not unkindly 
at Ralph. 

Ralph looked at him with great wonder and intense 
curiosity. 

“Wot be yer wanting o’ me, little master?” said 
the man. 

“ I love gipsies ! ” said Ralph. 

“Do yer, indeed? And wot’s yer name?” 

“ I am Ralph Durrant. I live at a school near. 
There are lots of girls in the shcool, and I’ve got a 
school-mother. My school-mother is at the fair, and 
I am alone' here. I’m rather lonesome, and I’m so 
glad you have come, gipsy man, ’cause you can talk to 
me.” 

“ To be sure,” said the man, seating himself on a 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

low stile, and taking from his pocket a very large 
clasp knife, with which he proceeded to sharpen a 
stick. 

Ralph stood very near him without speaking, just 
glad to be close to him. From time to time the man 
looked at the child, and the child returned the man’s 
gaze. 

“ Where did yer say yer held out, youngster ? ” he 
remarked after a long pause. 

“ At a school with a lot of girls,” said Ralph. 
“ Father sent me ; it’s all right. How funny and sharp 
you make that stick, gipsy man ! ” 

“ I guess you mean you live . at Abbeyfield ? ” said 
the man, now shutting up his knife and returning it to 
his pocket. “ They be rich folks there, so I guess 
you must be rich. We gipsies is poor; our folks 
haven’t got any money.” 

“ Nor have I,” said Ralph eagerly. “ I haven’t any 
money at all ; if I had I ’spec’ I’d have been took to 
the fair. See, gipsy man, see, my pockets is quite 
empty.” 

He turned out both his little pockets as he spoke, 
and looked at the man for sympathy. 

“ Dear, dear, dear ! ” said the man. “ That is ’ard, 
now. But your folks is rich, bean’t they ? ” 

“ Father’s made of money ; I’ve heard folks say so.” 

“ Well, now ; that is nice for you ; and he’s fond of a 
little chap like you, ain’t he ? ” 

“Father?” said Ralph. He paused for a minute; 
then said with great force: “Yes, Father’s fond of 
me. 

The man looked to right of him and to left of him. 
There was no one in sight. There was only very 
pretty little Ralph, in his pretty and expensive dress. 
There was a wood behind them, a wood to right of 

19*1 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


them, and a wood to left of them, and the doctor's 
little, old-fashioned house at the further end of the 
field ; the house was to all appearance empty for the 
time being. 

The gipsy man drew Ralph close and took his hand. 
Ralph felt that brown hand of the gipsy man's as 
hard as iron. His little heart gave a sort of jump; 
but he was not going to be at all frightened. He was 
glad, he was very glad, he had seen a brown, brown 
gipsy man for himself ; he had spoken to him ; what- 
ever Harriet might or might not do in the future, he 
had seen a gipsy man himself. 

“ I must be saying good-night, now," he remarked 
in a very polite voice. “ I am so glad I has met you. 
Please, good-night, Mr. Gipsy Man. I am going back. 
I must wait in a horrid, ugly drawing-room for my 
school-mother: I must say good-night, Mr. Gipsy." 

“ Not so fast, master," said the man. “ How do 
you know that I wants to say good-night to you ? I've 
took a sort of a fancy to yer, little master." 

“ Have you ? " said Ralph, looking up at him. 

“ Yes — 'tain't every little master as says such pretty 
words to us brown folks." 

“ Oh, I love you all," said Ralph. 

“ Now, see," said the man, “ that's very pretty talk, 
very pretty, indeed ; and how would little master like 
a basket for his very own to hold things — marbles and 
knives " 

“ Oh— and matches ! " said Ralph, intensely ex- 
cited all in a minute. 

“ Yes, and matches." 

“ And pockethankershers," said Ralph. 

“ To be sure ! How would little master like such a 
basket with a lid to it, now, and a little handle ? " 

“ Oh — it would be lovely ! " said Ralph. 

[ 93 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ There’s my good wife ’as got one, not like these ” 
— he kicked his own baskets with a look of contempt 
— “ but a pretty one, to home. You come along ’ome 
with me, and I’ll give you one.” 

“ How far off is your house ? ” asked Ralph, in 
great excitement. 

“ No way ’tall; just through this wood, and through 
another field, and there you be.” 

“ Is it a house on wheels ? ” asked Ralph. 

“Now, ain’t you a ’cute little master! There are 
wheels to our house.” 

“ And does it move ? ” 

“ In course, it moves ! ” 

“ I should love it to move,” said Ralph — “ and to 
feel it move.” 

“ Then, you shall, my pretty little dear. You come 
along with me, and we’ll harness old Dobbin to the 
house, and take you a bit across the field and give you 
a basket, and you shall be back again here in time for 
your school-mother afore she misses you.” 

Ralph considered for a minute. 

“ We must be very, very quick,” he said. “ I 
shouldn’t like to vex my school-mother. Shall we 
run, brown gipsy man ? ” 

“ Yes,” said the man. 

The next minute he had sprung lightly over the 
stile, had lifted Ralph across, and hand-in-hand they 
were running through the wood. In a very short time 
they had also crossed a field, and beyond the field was 
a wide clearing, where were tents, and brown babies, 
and brown men and women, and some mongrel dogs 
that rose lazily and wagged their tails when the big 
brown man and the little brown boy approached. A 
very hideous old woman, nearly bent double, and with 
a toothless jaw, advanced towards the pair, and a very 

[94] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


young woman with a handsome face and flashing 
black eyes followed her. 

The young woman wore a scarlet shawl twisted 
round her head, and a lot of beads round her neck, 
and long ear-rings in her ears. The man spoke at 
once : 

“ Here’s a little master,” he said, “ who wants a 
basket. Flavia — you choose him the very prettiest 
basket we ’as got, and put a knife into it and some col- 
ored beads, and take him into our house on wheels, 
and put Dobbin to the house, and make the house move 
right across the field. You understand, Flavia?” 

Flavia’s eyes flashed. She knelt down by Ralph, 
and took his two little hands, and looked into his face. 

“ Eh, but you are a sweet little man! ” she said, and 
she kissed him on his red lips. Then, lifting him 
bodily in her arms, she carried him up the steps into 
the house on wheels. 

“ Here we be! ” said Flavia; “ and I’ll just find the 
prettiest basket of all for you, and I’ll find a knife, 
too, and show you how to sharpen sticks so as to make 
them like arrows. I’ll show yer lots o’ things, and 
I’ll be real good to yer.” 

“ Only — I must be going home,” said Ralph, who, 
somehow, now that he had got into the house on 
wheels, was not quite so sure that he liked it. It was 
so full of smoke, and so crowded with furniture, and 
there were such a number of brown babies bobbing up 
their heads in every direction that at first he felt he 
could not breathe. And then he wondered why his 
eyes hurt so much. 

“ You shall go home,” said Flavia, “ as soon as ever 
the house moves across the field.” 

“ Perhaps,” said Ralph, trying to be very polite and 
not to show the least scrap of fear, “ perhaps, gipsy 
[ 95 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


lady, it might be best for me not to wait just now for 
your pretty house to move. Perhaps I had best come 
Mother day, pretty lady, ’cause my school-mother will 
be coming back, and she’ll be wanting me.” 

“ Where do you live ? ” asked Flavia. 

“ In a big school with a lot of girls. I’s the only 
boy, and I’s staying there till Father comes back to 
fetch me.” 

“ He must mean Abbeyfield,” said the toothless 
crone, raising her head from where she was lying on 
a bundle of old sacks. 

She had a pipe in her mouth, and as she spoke she 
puffed out a volume of smoke. 

“ Now, to think of it,” said Flavia. “ Is that the 
house, the pretty house, you’re in? We go past Abbey- 
field : we’ll put you out when we get there ; it’ll save a 
lot of time.” 

“ But,” said Ralph, very nearly crying, and very 
nearly losing his manhood, “ I’s not to wait in that 
house; I’s to wait in the house of a doctor — in a 
hot drawing-room. Oh, please, let me out ! ” 

“ There,” said Flavia, “ we’re off at last. Just once 
across the field, little master, and then back you’ll go, 
basket and all.” 

It was exciting ; with whoops, and shouts, and 
cracking of several whips, the house on wheels began 
slowly to go forward. Gipsy men ran by it, and gipsy 
children shouted at each side of it, and the mongrel 
dogs all barked in chorus; and one little boy sat very 
still inside with a sad, beating heart. 

What was going to happen ? It was lovely to be in 
a house that moved, and Flavia was very pretty. But, 
somehow, he was very nearly losing his manhood, and 
he did think that in another minute tears must rush to. 
his eyes. 


[96] 


CHAPTER XI 


THE TERROR 

The fair was delightful. The merry-go-rounds 
were much more enchanting than anything Harriet 
had ever dreamed about. Pattie was very generous, 
too, with her shilling, and that shilling seemed to go a 
long way. 

Pattie had made a careful calculation. A penny 
each to be admitted to the fair, a penny each for a turn 
on the merry-go-round; a penny each for a visit to 
the fat lady ; a penny each for a peep at the man with 
two heads. All this fun, this intoxicating delight, 
could be obtained for eightpence. There would still 
be fourpence over. Pattie explained to Harriet as 
they were approaching the fair how she meant to spend 
her money. Harriet nodded. Pattie’s programme 
was carried out to perfection. 

How delightful it was! Oh, the fascination of that 
rush through the air on those prancing horses ! And 
oh — the mystery of looking at the fat woman, and the 
thrill which went through them when they gazed at 
the man with two heads ! 

But the delight was short, and quickly over. They 
had not been half an hour at the fair, but the whole of 
their programme had been carried through, and eight 
pence out of Pattie’s twelve had vanished. Still, there 
were four more to spend. They might have two more 
G [ 97 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


turns each on the merry-go-round, or they might buy 
some gingerbread at the gingerbread stall. That stall 
was a most fascinating one, for the gingerbread was 
made into all kinds of funny shapes. There were 
gingerbread dogs, gingerbread cats, gingerbread birds ; 
and there were also horses of gingerbread, and ele- 
phants of gingerbread, and — what was more exciting 
than anything else — the wonderful and handsome 
lady who sold the gingerbread cakes could write any- 
thing to order on them. She had a sort of pencil 
which she dipped in liquid sugar, and behold, Pat- 
tie’s name could appear on the cake, or Harriet’s 
name, or any other thing that the girls happened to 
ask for. 

Should they have a gingerbread each ? Oh yes, they 
must. Harriet decided that she would have written on 
her gingerbread cat, “ Harriet — the Queen of Hearts.’’ 
She could get all this for a penny. She borrowed a 
penny from Pattie, and the deed was done. She would 
not eat her treasure on any account — she would carry 
it home with her. By and by, she might show it to 
the children in the old house in the country, and de- 
scribe to them how she of all others on that special 
morning had won the heart of a little boy. She was 
in ecstacies over her treasure. 

Pattie also secured a gingerbread cake with a suit- 
able inscription. But now there were only two pen- 
nies left. They might have one more ride on the 
merry-go-round, and then they would go home. Had 
they done this, that which happened would not have 
happened, for they would have found little Ralph 
asleep on the sofa, and Harriet would have rushed 
back to the school with him before Miss Ford had time 
to miss either of them. But, just as they were about 
to leave the fair, who should come up and speak to 

[98] 


THE UTTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Pattie, but her father’s chemist, for Dr. Pyke kept his 
own dispensary. 

The chemist was a young man of the name of Frost, 
very much addicted to eating gingerbreads and amus- 
ing himself at fairs. He was delighted to see Pattie; 
and Pattie, with some pride, introduced Harriet to 
him. 

Mr. Frost was a fat, podgy young man, and he felt 
quite pleased to walk with the little girls. With one 
on his right hand and one on his left he perambulated 
round and round the fair with them now. 

“ What have you seen ? ” he asked, and when they 
explained, he told them that they had practically seen 
nothing at all, and that now it would be his pleasure 
to give them a good time. He described what he 
meant to do, and certainly his programme was de- 
lightful. He himself would go on the merry-go-round 
with a little girl on each side of him, and they would 
fly right round not once, but several times; and after- 
wards, they would go into a little theater and witness 
a wonderful piece of acting in which there was a giant 
and a pigmy, and some acting dogs, and an elephant 
and even a lion. The entertainment was of a jumble 
order, but it would be intensely exciting. It would 
take, Mr. Frost said, no time at all. They must not 
miss it, however, for it really was first rate, of that he 
could assure them. 

Before Harriet could even reply, he had provided 
tickets for all three — tickets which cost sixpence each. 
He really was a most generous young man. 

“ But,” said Harriet, turning to Pattie, “ won’t this 
make me dreadfully late ? ” 

“Late?” cried Mr. Frost, overhearing her. “Not 
a bit of it. I tell you it will be over in no time at all. 
Here, take a hand each, girls, and we’ll squeeze well 



THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


to the front. We mustn’t miss the beginning of the 
fun. The fat lady comes on first of all with the kanga- 
roo ; oh, it will be screamingly funny ! ” 

The next minute, they were inside the tent where 
the great performance was to take place. 

They were inside with a crush of people behind 
them, and Harriet forgot everything else. The enter- 
tainment was of the breathless order; before you had 
time to recover from one astounding surprise, another 
still more astounding followed on its heels. The fat 
lady’s performance was nothing at all to that done 
by the man with two heads — he really managed these 
double appendages with the greatest cleverness, nod- 
ding and winking simultaneously with both, and caus- 
ing the people to shriek, holding their sides with 
mirth. 

“ He hasn’t two heads at all, you know,” said Mr. 
Frost, “ but it’s wonderfullly cleverly managed for all 
that.” 

Harriet and Pattie were almost sorry. They would 
much rather have believed that the man was possessed 
of the double head. 

“ Oh ! ” said Pattie, with a gasp. “ I was thinking 
what a lot he could do if they were really two heads.” 

Mr. Frost roared with laughter. 

“It would be convenient, wouldn’t it?” he said. 
“ He could eat with one of his mouths, you know, and 
talk with the other; and he could keep one of his 
brains for amusement, and one for lessons. I say, 
though, let’s look at this! Here’s the elephant with 
the dancing dogs on his back ! ” 

Oh, was there ever such a time? It flashed by in 
what seemed less than a minute, but in reality it took 
over an hour and a half. When Harriet and Pattie, 
two flushed and intensely happy little girls, left the 

[IOO] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

small theater Harriet knew at once by the changed 
light how long she must have been within. 

“ Oh please/’ she said, turning to Mr. Frost, “ we 
have enjoyed ourselves tremendously; but what is the 
hour, please ? — oh, I do hope it isn’t late ; I wanted to 
take Ralph back to school before five o’clock.” 

“ Five o’clock ! ” said Mr. Frost with a roaring 
laugh. Really he was rather a noisy young man. 
“ Why, it’s long past seven. You don’t suppose we 
have had all that fun in no time at all ? ” 

“ Past seven ! ” said Harriet, in a tone of horror. 
“ Oh, oh, don’t keep me ! ” 

She rushed away. She never waited even to say 
good-bye; Pattie and Mr. Frost both thought her 
rather rude. In a minute she was out of the fair and 
running along the road. When she had gone to the 
fair that afternoon with Pattie, the distance between 
the doctor’s house and the bit of common where the 
fair was held seemed no way at all. But now Harriet 
thought she had miles to travel. 

At last, panting and terrified, she reached the doc- 
tor’s house. The door, which had been standing open 
in the afternoon, was now shut. She rang the bell 
furiously. Oh, why had they shut the door? Every 
minute of delay was intolerable. Why did not Anas- 
tasia hurry? What a horrid name to give a servant! 
and what a horrid servant she was. Harriet in her 
agony gave the bell another and more furious pull. 

It was opened this time by a stout, red faced lady. 
“ Now, little girl,” she said, “ if you dare to ring 
the doctor’s bell again in this rude manner I shall com- 
plain to your — oh, my dear ! ” she continued, changing 
her voice, “ I beg your pardon, I thought it was little 
Susan Wright from across the road. That child re- 
quires keeping in her place; she is always playing 
[IOI] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

practical jokes. But what is it, my dear little girl? 
Come in, pray. Do you want Dr. Pyke ? ” 

“ No, no ! ” said Harriet. “ Don’t keep me, please. 
I have come for the little boy in the drawing-room.” 

“ The little boy in the drawing-room ? ” said Mrs. 
Pyke, who wondered if Harriet were very ill and a 
little off her head. “ But I know nothing of any little 
boy in the drawing-room.” 

“ Oh, please let me go for him,” said Harriet, trying 
to push past the stout lady. “ He is there, I know, for 
I left him there. He is little Ralph — little Ralph Dur- 
rant. I told him to wait for me ; I know I am late, but 
let me go for him at once, please.” 

“ You can go into the drawing-room, of course,” 
said Mrs. Pyke ; “ although I must say you puzzle me 
very much, for I know of no little boy there. The doc- 
tor and I are having a cosy little supper in the draw- 
ing-room at the present moment; we often do of an 
evening to get away from the children, and I assure 
you there is no little boy in the room.” 

Nevertheless, Harriet would go for herself. Ralph 
must be where she had desired him to stay. With her 
face very white, her whole appearance exceedingly 
wild, and her poor little heart beating almost to suf- 
focation, she poked about the untidy and ugly drawing- 
room. She looked under sofas and behind curtains, 
and finally burst into tears. 

“ He is not here — he is gone ! What will become of 
me? ” she sobbed. 

“ Why,” said Dr. Pyke, who had not recognized 
her at first, “ why, surely I cannot be mistaken — you 
are one of the little girls from Abbeyfield ! My dear 
child, sit down and tell my wife and me at once what is 
the matter.” 

“ Oh, I must not stay,” said Harriet, struggling to 

1 102 ], 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

suppress her tears ; “ but I — oh, it is too dreadful ! 99 
And then she told, as best she could, the story of her 
day's adventure. “ I should not have done it,” she 
said in conclusion, “ but it was so tempting, and I 
thought of course he would wait for me.” 

“ This, my dear,” said Dr. Pyke, turning to his wife, 
when Harriet had finished speaking, “ is one of my 
little patients at Abbeyfield. Her name is Harriet 
Lane, and I am thankful to say that, as a rule, she does 
not put many pennies into the doctor’s pocket; but, 
my dear child, if you give way like this you will be ill, 
and then I shall be the richer, and you the poorer. 
Come now, stop crying; of course you have done 
wrong, but doubtless you have no cause for alarm. 
The little boy, my dear wife, is little Ralph Durrant. 
His father — you must know his father’s name, of 
course — the Durrant, you know, the great African 
explorer. I have seen the little fellow, a most sweet 
little man. I am sure, my dear child, that we shall 
find your little friend safe at school. And now, if 
you will take my hand, I will bring you back to Abbey- 
field, and try to explain what has occurred.” 

“ Oh, oh ! ” sobbed Harriet. “ Oh, oh — I am too 
miserable. I am certain that Ralph — little Ralph, is 
lost!” 


CHAPTER XII 


IN THE HIGH WOODS 

Alas! Harriet was right. When they reached the 
house, and when she wildly enquired of Miss Ford if 
Ralph were anywhere about, she was met by that as- 
tonished woman’s instant denial. 

“ Where have you been yourself?” said Miss Ford, 
speaking in great agitation. “ We wondered what you 
and Ralph could be doing, and now you come here 
without him, and — and — Dr. Pyke, you have brought 
her ! Is anything wrong? ” 

“ I greatly fear there is, Miss Ford,” said the doc- 
tor. “ Please don’t scold this poor child at present. 
There is no doubt she has behaved very badly, but our 
immediate duty is to find the poor little fellow.” 

“ What poor little fellow ? Oh, how you terrify 
me,” said Miss Ford. 

“ Little Ralph Durrant,” said the doctor. “ The 
fact is, Harriet brought him to my house this after- 
noon ” 

“ You dared ! ” began Miss Ford. 

“ Oh yes,” said the doctor ; “ she dared a good deal. 
She was very naughty, we know that, but there’s no 
use in thinking of her at present. She left Ralph in 
my drawing-room, and when she came back for him, 
he was gone.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Miss Ford, “ what is to be done? ” 

“ You are certain he has not returned here ? ” 

[104] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Certain ? ” said the poor teacher ; “ of course I 
am certain. But I will go and enquire: I will look 
everywhere.” 

Miss Ford did look. She searched the house; she 
questioned the maids, she went to Ralph’s own little 
bedroom, she even penetrated to that snug nest where 
Curly Pate lay like a ball of down. Nowhere was 
Ralph to be found. She came back at last, with a pale 
face, to the doctor. 

“ The child has not returned,” she said. “ What is 
to be done ? ” 

“ We must lose no time,” said Dr. Pyke. “ Har- 
riet ” 

Harriet had seated herself on the first chair. She 
sat there huddled up. There is no other word to de- 
scribe her appearance. Her hat was pushed forward 
over her eyes, and those eyes were red with crying. 
Now, however, her great terror preventd any further 
flow of tears. 

“ Harriet,” repeated the doctor, sternly. 

“ Yes, sir.” 

“ You know more about Ralph than I do. Have you 
the least — the slightest idea where he may have 
gone ? ” 

Harriet thought of the gipsies. She remembered 
how she had promised Ralph to take him to see them ; 
how she had failed in her promise. 

“ Perhaps ” — she said — “ oh, I don’t know — but he 
was very much excited about the gipsies ; he may have 
gone to them.” 

“ We will send at once to enquire,” said Miss Ford. 
“ We must on no account wait until Mrs. Burton re- 
turns ; there is not an instant to lose.” 

“ I will go myself,” said the doctor. “ I know where 
their encampment is. It is really scarcely likely that 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

they have the child. Gigsies don’t often steal children 
now-a-days. We may find the little fellow anywhere. 
I will also call at the police station, and get the police 
to begin to search for him.” 

When Dr. Pyke left the house, Miss Ford turned to 
Harriet. 

“ A nice sort of school-mother you have made,” 
she said. “ You don’t suppose that you will win your 
pony after this, you bad girl. Come with me at once 
into the third form parlor, and wait there until Mrs. 
Burton returns. She will then decide what is to be 
done with you.” 

“ I don’t want any pony,” suddenly sobbed Harriet. 
“ I only want Ralph. I know I am desperately 
naughty, but I don’t want anything in all the world 
now but Ralph.” 

“ It is easy for you to talk like that now that you 
have neglected the poor little fellow so shamefully, 
and disobeyed Mrs. Burton’s strictest orders. Come 
with me at once, you bad child.” 

Harriet went. So subdued was she, that she did not 
even hate Miss Ford for speaking to her in this way. 
A minute later, she found herself in the third form 
special parlor. One electric light was on. It threw 
a dim reflection over the scene. Harriet looked round 
at the familiar objects — the table in trie middle, the 
story-books, the globes in their corner, the birds in 
their cages, and the parrot in his cage. 

The small birds were all asleep. The books and 
toys, and tables and chairs could not move; but the 
parrot was wide awake, and very much alive. He 
hopped from side to side and looked hard at Harriet. 
At last, he screamed in a noisy, shrill tone: 

“ Mind what you’re about 1 Ha, ha l Mind what 
you’re about 1 Ha, ha 1 ” 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Poor Harriet. She flung herself down on the floor 
and cried as though her heart would break. She was 
only a little girl still, and not all bad. That pony with 
his side-saddle, that perfectly made habit, all the de- 
lights which she had sinned so deeply to obtain, would 
have been as ashes now in her mouth. She only 
wanted Ralph now, and Ralph was far away. Why 
had she behaved so badly? Oh what, what was hap- 
pening? 

Her agony became almost unendurable. Suddenly, 
she perceived that the door of the parlor had not 
been shut, that it was a little ajar. Why need she sit 
there ? It was so awful to remain still ; so frightful 
to do nothing at all. 

She stole softly to the door, opened it, and peeped 
out. There was no one in the hall, and the hall door 
itself stood wide open. 

“ Mind what you’re about. Ha, ha ! ” shrieked the 
parrot. 

But Harriet was in no mood to mind. She crossed 
the hall on tip-toe, rushed to the open door, drew a 
deep breath, and the next moment was skimming her- 
self, light as a bird, over the ground in the direction 
of the gipsy encampment. Harriet could, indeed, run 
like the wind, and never had she ran faster than on 
this occasion. 

“ It was I,” she thought, ** who caused him to be 
lost, so I will find him again ; yes, I will find him if it 
kills me.” 

Suddenly she drew up on the edge of a piece of 
common. Here only yesterday, surely, were many 
brown tents and many brown people. Here was this 
fascinating house on wheels of which she had spoken 
so much to little Ralph. But now — she could not be- 
lieve her eyes! 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

The place was empty. She could see, even by the 
moonlight, patches of yellow grass which had been 
covered by the tents, and here and there she could also 
perceive a bone or two, or a scrap of broken bread. 
But not a gipsy was in sight, not a tent within view, 
not a dog, not a brown baby. The gipsies had gone! 
Why had they gone? They were there, she knew, 
that very afternoon, for she had seen the smoke curl- 
ing up from the house on wheels, as she and Ralph had 
gone with Pattie to the village. 

The gipsies had gone away quickly: of course they 
had taken Ralph with them. Now what was she to do? 
She stood still in a shadowy part of the field, and, as 
she did so, she distinctly heard the sound of wheels, 
and listening, there floated also to her ears the sound 
of many voices singing. 

Her school companions were returning from their 
picnic. They were coming back, as arranged, by 
moonlight. They were happy: they were enjoying 
themselves. Harriet distinctly heard Robina’s voice 
above the others. Robina had a clear voice like a 
bird. Her notes were very high. They seemed to rise 
up as though, like the larks, they would pierce the sky. 
Now they rose above the other voices in a sort of tor- 
rent of rejoicing. Harriet dug her fingers into her 
ears. 

“ Oh, how soon they will be back ! ” she thought ; 
“ and they will miss him, and they will know all about 
me, and oh — I can’t, can’t stand it! I will follow the 
gipsies. I wonder where they have gone.” 

Harriet thought for a few minutes. The police had 
already been to visit that very field. They had gone 
there in Dr. Pyke’s company, and they were taking 
steps to follow the gipsies on horseback. But Har- 
riet knew something that the police did not know. 

[108] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

One of the servants in the house had long ago been a 
gipsy girl herself ; and Harriet, who was much fasci- 
nated by stories of the wild brown people, used to 
talk to this girl when she got a chance. The girl, 
from time to time, imparted some of the secrets of her 
people to Harriet. Amongst other things, she had 
told her of the favourite resting-places of her tribe. 
This special common was one. But there was another 
five miles away, in the very heart of a deep wood, 
where they used to go when they wanted to hide some- 
thing. The police did not know of this place of refuge 
in the middle of the High Woods, as they were called ; 
but Harriet remembered it now. 

It was five miles away, and she was only a little 
girl, and she was tired. But what of that if it might 
be her privilege to find Ralph and bring him back? 
What mattered any amount of fatigue ? 

Cora had told her how to get to the hiding place in 
the wood. She had described how difficult it was for 
an ordinary person to find it, but had given Harriet a 
full description of it in one of her moments of confi- 
dence. 

“ We often wanted to make ourselves scarce,” Cora 
would say, “ and no one ever yet found us there. It 
was a bonny enough place, too, although the trees 
grew so thick around that we did not get much sun- 
shine.” 

Now Harriet started on her way to the gipsies' 
hiding place in the woods. She was glad of the moon- 
light, and glad to avoid the road. She crossed many, 
fields, and by and by found herself in a lane with very, 
very high hedges. The hedges were so high that she 
could not see a scrap of the world on either side of her. 
She could only gaze at the stars overhead, and won- 
der, and wonder, what was going to happen. She 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


might be going wrong for all she knew. But all of a 
sudden she saw something shining on the road. She 
stooped and picked it up. It was a child’s broken 
rattle — the sort of thing which a gipsy child might 
have. 

Now she felt certain that she was on the track of 
the runaways, and this knowledge gave her confidence. 
It takes, however, a very long time for a small girl 
not twelve years of age to walk five miles ; and it was 
long past midnight, and the moon in the sky had set, 
and real darkness had come over the world before 
Harriet reached the entrance to the woods. 

The lane in which she found herself led straight to 
these very woods : and oh ! if it had been dark in the 
lane, how black was it here. She found her heart 
beating, and for a short time had not courage to go 
on. But then she thought of Ralph. She thought of 
him so hard that he began to fill all her little world. 
She wanted him so badly that no pony that ever 
breathed was now of any consequence to her in com- 
parison. Why should she fear the creatures in the 
wood ? She had no room in her heart for fear. 

So she moved gently forward, a little girl, all alone 
in the black wood! The creatures of the wood must 
have wondered, and no doubt most of them were very 
much afraid of her, and retired into their snug little 
wood homes on her approach. But she saw none of 
them. 

At last she came to a clearing, and in the clearing 
she perceived what made her heart beat wildly. It was 
no less a creature than a dog. The gipsies must be 
close at hand. 

The dog was lying on the ground dead asleep. But 
when Harriet approached, he started and growled. 
Harriet, led by she knew not what instinct, immedi- 

[IIO] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ately put her hand on his hand. He quivered all over. 
Whether he would have growled again or bitten her, 
no one can tell, but in despair she flung herself by his 
side, and whispered in his ear: 

“ Oh, do be quiet ; I am so miserable ! ” 

No one can quite tell what dogs understand, but 
certainly this dog growled no more. On the contrary, 
he licked Harriet’s hand with his hot tongue. She 
had at last found the gipsies, and she might stay where 
she was until the first light of the morning. Perhaps 
poor Harriet slept with her head on the dog’s shaggy 
neck, but even she herself was not quite sure on that 
point. 

Early, very, very early in the morning, led by Jakes, 
the gipsies’ dog, she found the house on wheels. The 
gipsies were tired, and most of them asleep. But when 
Harriet approached the dogs all barked, and of course 
the gipsy men all started to their feet, and the tooth- 
less old crone came out of the house on wheels, and 
pretty Flavia followed her. 

“ What did the little lady want ? ” they asked. They 
were all quite inclined to be civil to the little girl. 

“ I want,” said Harriet, “ my own little boy. I am 
his school-mother, and I want him back again.” 

“ Oh Harriet ! Harriet ! ” cried Ralph’s little voice. 

He popped his small head outside the house on 
wheels. Not even Flavia could keep him from Har- 
riet now. In one minute he was in her arms, and she 
was kissing him — oh, with such a world of affection. 
Somehow, Ralph felt a difference in her kisses, and 
he loved her at last, and knew that he had not loved 
her at all before. 

“ Ralph, you must come home at once,” said Har- 
riet. 

“ Now, my dear,” said the tall gipsy man who had 

[in] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


lured Ralph away on the previous night ; “ this little 
boy belongs to us, don’t yer, little man ? ” 

“ No, I don’t,” said Ralph. “ This is my school- 
mother, and I belong to her.” 

“ You had best let him come,” said Harriet, “ for 
the police are looking for you, and you’ll get into 
dreadful hot water if you keep the little boy.” 

“ We took charge of him,” said the man, sulkily ; 
but a frightened look crossed his face when Harriet 
spoke of the police. “ He were a poor lonely little 
gent, and we took pity on him.” 

“ They were awfu’ kind to me ! ” said Ralph. 
“ They’re very nice gipsy people ; and see, they give 
me this.” 

He showed his basket with great pride to Harriet. 

“ See ! ” he continued, “ there’s things inside — a 
knife, and matches, and all sorts of other things.” 

“ That don’t matter now,” said Harriet. “ You must 
come back ; they’re dreadfully frightened about you at 
school, and so was I. Gipsy man,” said Harriet, look- 
ing up at the tall man, “ will you please saddle a horse, 
and put Ralph on its back, and put me there too, for I 
am dreadfully tired, and take us to Abbeyfield, and 
please be quick.” 

“ When my father comes back,” said Ralph, “ I will 
talk to him about you, gipsy man, and about you, 
pretty gipsy lady.” Here he took Flavia’s hand. 
“ And he shall give you money — much — and big 
money ; and I will come and see you again, for I love 
you all.” 

“ We’d best take him back,” said the man, looking at 
the toothless old crone, “ or we’ll get into trouble with 
the per-lice.” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet, gravely, “ and you had best be 
quick.” 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


So early in the morning the children went back to 
the school on the gipsy’s tall horse, and the gipsy him- 
self led them. Ralph talked all the way back, and was 
very gay and very happy; and when he parted from 
the gipsy man he insisted on kissing him, which sur- 
prised that person very much. 

“ Good-bye, little master,” he said, in rather a shame- 
faced way. 

“ Good-bye,” said Ralph. “ And Father will give 
you money : I’ll see he do.” 

Thus Ralph returned after his great adventure and 
Harriet and he went together, side by side, into Mrs. 
Burton’s private sitting-room. There Harriet told all. 

“ I don’t want the pony,” she said in conclusion ; 
“ and I’m not a bit fit to be a school-mother 1 But I 
love him all the same.” 

“ I must punish you, Harriet,” said Mrs. Burton. “ I 
should not do my duty else. For the remainder of the 
term, Robina will be Ralph’s school-mother; but you 
shall see him every day, and it remains with Ralph him- 
self to decide whether he loves you in future or not.” 

“ Oh, don’t I love her just this very instant-minute,” 
said Ralph: and he flung his arms round Harriet’s 
neck. Thus Hariet found out what real love meant. 
She found it out in her pain, the pain she had suffered 
during that lonely night — she found it out also in her 
joy — the joy that had come to her when she saw Ralph 
again. 

The pony and the habit and the side-saddle did not 
matter a bit to Harriet now, for she had more — the 
true heart of Ralph himself. Love can destroy jeal- 
ousy and all bad things in the heart. So it was with 
Harriet, even though Robina became the little boy’s 
school-mother, and even though she won the big prize. 
Harriet was happy. 

H [113] 


BOOK II 


CHAPTER I 

A DELIGHTFUL PROPOSAL 

When Ralph Durrant’s father came for him on the 
day of the great break-up at the school, he found a 
little boy who said with emphasis that he had several 
school-mothers, and that he did not wish to say good- 
bye to any of them. This state of things rather puz- 
zled Mr. Durrant, whose one desire in life was to 
make Ralph intensely happy. 

“ How am I to manage such a lot of mothers, little 
man ? ” he said. 

“ You must, Father,” replied Ralph. “ There is my 
naughty school-mother — her name is Harriet. She is 
both naughty and good, and I love her like anything. 
And there is my beautiful, good school-mother — 
Robina; and I want not to say good-bye to either of 
them. I s’pose,” continued Ralph, “ that Robina 
must have the pony; only I wish there were two 
ponies ” 

But here Mrs. Burton interfered. 

“ Ralph,” she said, “ I have something to say to 
your father. Run away for a short time and play with 
Curly Pate, my dear.” 

[H4] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Ralph, who had been excellently trained by Robina, 
ran immediately out of the room. Mr. Durrant turned 
and faced Mrs. Burton. 

“ Well/' he said, with a smile, “ my little scheme 
seems to have answered. Ralph was fretting a good 
deal when I brought him here. He had been badly 
managed at home: none of his aunts understood him. 
He missed his dear mother, — who died two years ago, 
— more than words can say. It was not that he 
fretted about her, for the dear little man was too 
young to fret, but he just missed the mothering part 
of life which all little children need and cannot do 
without. His aunts are good, but old-fashioned peo- 
ple, and they failed just where they most meant to suc- 
ceed. Now, I see a dear, healthy, happy little boy, 
with rosy cheeks and bright eyes. I have to thank 
you, Mrs. Burton, for a great deal. 

“ You know that I must leave him very soon to re- 
turn to South Africa. You know, too, that my work 
while there, leads me into very possible dangers: in 
fact, I think I may add into certain dangers ; and if it 
were possible to secure a permanent home for my 
little man in your house, I should love to do so.” 

“ But this is a school for girls/’ said Mrs. Burton, 
with a smile. 

“ Still, one little boy — my dear friend— one little 
motherless boy, not six years of age ” 

“ He is a baby,” said Mrs. Burton, “ and we all love 
him. I will think it over.” 

“ Do, my dear friend. I can scarcely tell you what 
a weight of care will be lifted from my mind if you 
will allow me to send Ralph back here at the end of 
the holidays. But in the meantime, what is this talk 
about several school-mothers, and in especial about 
two* one naughty — one whom he loves very dearly, 
[ii5] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


and one good — one whom he also seems to adore? 
Am I really to give two ponies, two side-saddles, two 
habits, and provide for the keep of two of these little 
animals for many years? If you can prove to me that 
such an action on my part is necessary, I will gladly 
give not two, but twenty, ponies to Ralph's little 
mothers in this school.” 

“ You are so generous, Mr. Durrant, that you 
would really spoil all my little girls if you were al- 
lowed to have your own way,” said the headmistress. 
“ The fact is, this your proposal with regard to the 
pony was so tempting and so unlooked for, that it 
very nearly turned the head and the heart of one child 
in this school. That child — your little boy will tell 
you her name, so there is no use in my withholding it 
— is called Harriet Lane. She behaved as she ought 
not to have done; and although circumstances oc- 
curred — which I will also tell you later on — that so 
terrified her and so appealed to her conscience that 
she is very much improved now ; nevertheless it would 
never do to give her a pony. You must keep to your 
decision, Mr. Durrant, one pony for one girl, and one 
school-mother for little Ralph.” 

“ Very well,” said Mr. Durrant. “ But I suppose I 
may do something else for the would-be school- 
mothers.” 

He talked a little longer with Mrs. Burton, and the 
result of this conference was that just before break-up 
on that lovely summer's day, the great African ex- 
plorer made a proposal to the school. It was this : 

“ I have heard a great deal,” said Mr. Durrant, 
standing on a platform and looking at all the eager 
faces, “ about your goodness to my little boy. I have 
further heard that the girls of the third form have 
each in turn acted as his school-mother.” 

[n6] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Oh yes — oh yes ! ” said Ralph, coming forward 
now, and speaking with great eagerness : “ I has got 
eight mothers, and I don’t want to lose one of them. 
My bestest mothers are my naughty one and my good- 
est one. Robina is my goodest one, and Harriet is my 
naughtiest one: I love them best, but I love all the 
others too. 

“ You, I think, are Robina Starling,” said Mr. Dur- 
rant, fixing his eyes on Robina’s face. 

“ Yes, sir ; ” she answered. 

“And you have taken good care of my little boy.” 

“ I love Ralph very much, sir,” said Robina simply. 

“And you, too, love him,” said Mr. Durrant, turn- 
ing his eyes by a sort of instinct in the direction where 
Harriet stood, Harriet still looking pale and lanky 
and different from the rest of her schoolfellows. 

“ Yes,” said Harriet, with a sort of choke in her 
voice ; “ I care for Ralph.” 

Little Ralph himself looked full at her. He ran up 
to her now and took her hand. 

“ Don’t think about your naughtiness,” he whis- 
pered to her. “ You is forgived, you know.” 

Harriet squeezed the little hand and then let it go. 
There was a lump in her throat. She could not im- 
agine why Ralph Durrant — a little, little boy — had 
such power over her. 

“ And the rest of you are mothers too,” said Mr. 
Durrant, looking from one to the other. 

“ We all love Ralph,” they answered. 

“ Well now : I have a proposal to make. I am tak- 
ing a house at the sea-side — a very nice country house 
for the holidays ; and I want to know if all the school- 
mothers can come and stay with Ralph and me in my 
house. You are all invited. Will you come? There 
wilL be the pony for the special school-mother — for 
[ii 7l 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


you, Robina. The pony which will be your property, 
and which you can ride as much as you like, and as 
long as you like, and lend to your companions when 
you wish to be good-natured, will be with you. And 
there will be donkeys — excellent donkeys for the rest 
of you, and also bicycles, and also a wagonette, and a 
governess cart; so I think there will be no difficulty 
in your getting about; and I can promise you before- 
hand that I am a first-rate person for managing pic- 
nics; and that my cook-housekeeper, Mrs. Joseph, is 
famous for her cakes, pies, and puddings ; and that my 
other housekeeper, Mrs. Scott, will see to your ward- 
robes and look after your other comforts. But I wish 
to warn you beforehand, that there will be no lady in 
the house. There will be no grown-up lady-woman in 
my house, so you children will have to look out for 
storms; for I can be, when I like, a very fierce man, 
and if there are really naughty children, I can make it 
unpleasant for them. There, my dear little girls, I 
am only joking ” 

“ Father’s awful at his jokes,” interrupted Ralph at 
that moment. “You is silly, father; you know that 
you is never cross.” 

“ Perhaps,” said Mr. Durrant, “ you had better, 
girls, take Ralph’s estimate of my character. Anyhow, 
come those of you who wish to try me, and stay away, 
those of you who are afraid. The house will be ready 
to receive you in a fortnight from now. During that 
time, Ralph and I will enjoy ourselves together. This 
day fortnight, we shall both be prepared to welcome 
you at Sunshine Lodge. I am calling the house by 
that name in advance, for I mean to have the sunshine 
in it day and night ; and by the special sort of sun that 
I allude to, I mean Kindness, Charity, Unselfishness, 
Forbearance; and last, but not least, Love. I mean, 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


too, that Pleasure should enter the house — nice, jolly 
Pleasure — and that Care should keep her wrinkled 
old face out-of-doors. I mean, in order to secure 
these things, to have a certain amount of discipline in 
the house, but that I shall exercise myself, and in my 
own way. Now, all those who wish to come to Sun- 
shine Lodge, have the kindness to hold up their hands. 
Those who do not wish to come can keep their hands 
down.” 

“ In course you will all come ! ” said Ralph. “ It’s 
Father’s way to talk like that ; but he’s awfu’ jolly, is 
Father ! ” 

“Yes; I believe I am jolly,” said Mr. Durrant. 
“ You had best take Ralph’s estimate of me : it is fair, 
on the whole. Now girls: who’ll come? who’ll stay? ” 

Was there an instant’s hesitation? Every hand was 
raised: every eye said “Yes.” Every mouth shouted, 
“ I am going ! ” Every little heart quivered with ex- 
citement. 

“ Then you will all come : you will all trust me,” 
said Mr. Durrant. Now you need not trouble any 
more about the matter. Get ready for the fun ; for fun 
it will be, I assure you — fun, fast and furious; fun 
from morning till night, and in a certain sense from 
night till morning. I will get the addresses of your 
parents from Mrs. Burton, and will write to them 
individually, and I think I can promise that there won’t 
be one refusal. The eight little mothers shall join 
Ralph and me at Sunshine Lodge in a fortnight. And 
now, my dears, good-bye for the present.” 

Mr. Durrant took Ralph’s hand as he spoke. Ralph 
turned, however, as they were leaving that sunny part 
of the grounds where this animated and exciting scene 
had just taken place. 

“ Good-bye, mothers : good-bye, all of you ! ” shouted 

[H9l 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

Ralph, kissing his hand frantically to the eight little 
girls. 

He disappeared round the corner, a proud little 
figure in his pretty costume, and the school girls 
looked one at the other. 


CHAPTER II 


ROBINA AT HOME 

The next day, the different girls went to their sev- 
eral homes. Robina had to make a longer journey 
than the others ; but she arrived at length at the some- 
what solitary house on the borders of Wales where 
she lived with her father and mother, and two little 
sisters. 

Robina’s mother was one of those rather trying in- 
valids who without ever being in any danger yet man- 
age to make all those around them uncomfortable. 
Now, Robina loved her mother, but she never managed 
to be an hour in her presence without rubbing the 
poor invalid the wrong way. Mrs. Starling said that 
this big, firm, almost manly sort of child was too much 
for her. She did not mind the two little girls sitting 
in her shaded room and playing quietly with their toys. 
Now and then, she even permitted them to climb up 
on her sofa and pat her pale cheeks, and kiss her 
hands. But Robina was too lively and too full of 
vitality for this sort of existence; and, as Mrs. Star- 
ling was fond of remarking, she tired her out without 
meaning to do so. 

Now poor little Robina loved her mother passion- 
ately, and it was one of her secret troubles that she 
could not manage to make that mother happy. Mrs. 
Starling had been an invalid for so long that her sis- 
ter, Miss Felicia Jennings, had charge of the house; 
and Miss Felicia was also the sort of person who had 
the power of rubbing Robina the wrong way. 

[ 121 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


She was a very fussy woman who was so fond of 
saying ‘ Don’t ’ that Robina wondered if she had any 
other word in her vocabulary. 

“ Now, Robina,” she said on the present occasion, 
the mbment the little girl entered the house — “don’t 
make so much noise: walk quietly; go up to your 
room, and don’t slam the door; also — don’t neglect to 
put your boots outside on the mat, so that Fanny may 
take them down in good time to get them cleaned. 
And, Robina — don’t forget to wash your hands and 
brush your hair, and don’t on any account fail to re- 
member that your mother has a bad headache and can- 
not have noise or excitement in her room.” 

“ I am not going to make any noise ; and I will try 
not to be excited,” said Robina. “ I have been very 
happy at school, Aunt Felice, and people haven’t said 
such a lot of ' dont’s ’ to me. I think it is * don’t * 
makes me so naughty when I am at home.” 

“ Well — don’t oblige me to say ‘ Don’t/ ” was Aunt 
Felicia’s remark. 

Robina ran upstairs. She was never cross at school. 
Why did she feel irritation the very moment she got 
home? She had looked forward very much to her 
holidays. She had all sorts of schemes in her practical 
little brain for improving and rendering life agreeable 
to little Violet and little Rose, her two small sisters. 

She had quite expected that Violet and Rose would 
be waiting to welcome her. She had pictured them to 
herself all during the long, hot journey to Wales. 

Violet was five years old, and a very pretty little 
girl. Curly-Pate had always more or less reminded 
Robina of Violet. And then there was Rose, who was 
not yet four years old, and who was a very delicate lit- 
tle child and rather fractious. Rose in some sort of 
intangible manner recalled Harriet to Robina’s mem- 
[ 122 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ory; for she was lanky, and thin, and had poor little 
weak legs, and a weak sort of crying voice, and people 
said that she took after her mother, and would never 
be specially good for anything. 

Before she went to school, Robina had much pre- 
ferred to play with Violet, and had often left Rose 
more or less out in the cold. But now she resolved 
to correct all this, and to try to get to understand 
little Rose, and to add to the happiness of her life. 

“ For if I don’t,” thought Robina, “ she may grow 
up like Harriet: she may even learn to be deceitful, 
and that would never do. Oh, I know — I know quite 
well the person who is better than all the rest of us 
put together at the school, and that person is Ralph. 
Who else would have changed Harriet, and made her 
so that she could even bear to allow me to be Ralph’s 
school-mother, and yet to love little Ralph all the time ? 
I must own that I do not love Harriet even now ; but 
I suppose it is wrong of me; anyhow, I see that there 
are possibilities of good in her ; • and I will be very 
good to little Rose during the fortnight that I am at 
home because of Harriet.” 

But Violet and Rose were both in bed, although they 
had pleaded very hard indeed to be let stay up, and 
Mrs. Starling was not considered well enough to be 
disturbed by Robina that evening. Robina’s father 
was not at home, and there was no one, therefore, to 
welcome the little girl except Aunt Felicia. 

“ It is dull,” thought Robina. “ I am glad that I am 
going to Sunshine Lodge in a fortnight : I wonder if. 
the invitation has come yet. How jolly we shall all 
be when we are there ! If mother were really glad to 
see me, and if Rose and Violet were up, I should be a 
very happy girl this evening ; but as it is ” 

Robina entered her rather bare and decidedly ugly 

[123] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


bedroom, tossed her hat on the bed, went to the small 
cracked looking-glass in order to see how to put her 
thick hair straight, and then was preparing to run 
downstairs again, when she saw the nursery room door 
very softly opened, and a little figure peeped out. 

“ I am in my nighty, and so is Rose ; but we're both 
fide awake," said Violet’s voice. “ Oo’s come back, 
Wobbin. Come and kiss us ; do, do ! ” 

“ Oh, you darlings ! you pets ! ’’ said Robina. 

She went noisily into the nursery, and alack! and 
alas ! the next minute the door slammed after her. 
Violet’s little rosy face turned pale, and the real 
Rose began to cry. 

“ Aunt Felice will come up and scold ! ” said Violet. 
“ Oh, put us into bed, do ! and don’t go away — please, 
please, Wobina ! ” 

“ No, I won’t," said Robina. “ I don’t mind a bit 
whether I’m scolded or not. Of course, I didn’t mean 
to slam the door. You little darlings, both of you! 
You sweet pets ! Here I am back again, and won’t we 
have good times ! I have some chocolates for you in a 
corner of my school trunk: I bought it out of the 
savings of my pocket money; and it is right good, I 
can tell you.’’ 

“All keemy in middle?’’ enquired Rose, in a voice 
of great eagerness. 

“ Yes,’’ said Robina, “ and browny outside.” 

“ Can’t us have some now ? ” asked Violet. 

“ I will try,” said Robina. “ You lie quite still, 
and pretend to be asleep, and I’ll bring you some in a 
minute or two. Aunt Felice couldn’t have heard the 
door slam, or she would be up here on the landing by 
now. Oh dear ! oh dear ! I’ll creep out ever so quietly. 
Now, mum’s the word. Stay as still as mice, you two, 
until I return.” 


[124]; 


THE LITTLE 'SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Two eager pairs of eyes in the midst of two small 
wide awake faces followed Robina as she went to the 
nursery door. She opened it softly, and shut it be- 
hind her. In a minute or two, she was back with the 
chocolates, and each little child was made intensely 
happy. Robina promised all sorts of good things on 
the morrow — pick-a-back was one ; and oh ! there was 
a wonderful secret: something amazing was going to 
happen : for of course Robina knew well that the pony 
with the side-saddle and the habit would arrive early 
the next day. He could not be objected to, for part of 
the prize was that all his expenses were to be paid. 

There was an old stable at the back of the house 
where he could lodge, and the services of a special 
man were to be secured to look after him. The 
thought of the pony comforted Robina immensely on 
the first evening at home. When she sat opposite 
to Aunt Felicia at supper, it occurred to her to men- 
tion it. 

“ Aunt Felice,” she said, “ I have got a great piece 
of news for you.” 

“ What is that, my dear Robina ? Don’t put your 
elbow on the table ; it is so unlady-like ; and I wish, my 
dear, you would not have that habit of opening your 
mouth when you are not speaking. You ought to say 
the old phrase, ‘ Papa, potatoes, prunes and prism ’ 
constantly to yourself. There is nothing for keeping 
the mouth in a nice shape like uttering the word 
prism. 

“ I can’t, really, Aunt Felice. I am not made that 
way,” said Robina. “I can’t be worried about my 
mouth.” 

“ There you are,” said Aunt Felice, “always so 
headstrong, rough, and disagreeable. Now, don't 
frown ! It really makes you look like a fright. Your 
[12 5] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


poor mother quite dreads the thought of having you 
in the house ; you are so undisciplined and wayward.” 

“ I was thought quite a good girl at school,” said 
Robina. 

“ Then that was because none of them really knew 
you.” 

“ I think they knew me very well. You have to be 
your real self at school, Aunt Felice.” 

“ Then may I ask, miss, if that is the case, why you 
are not your real self at home?” 

“ I am afraid I have got two selves, and I am my 
worst self at home, because I am rubbed the wrong 
way.” 

“Indeed!” said Miss Jennings. “That is nice 
hearing. And who rubs you the wrong way ? ” 

“ I know you will be very angry with me, Aunt 
Felicia ; but you do.” 

“ Robina : this is really more than I can stand. You 
don’t speak in that impertinent way to me any more: 
you have no respect for those older and better than 
yourself, Robina. I don’t say for a moment that you 
have not your good points You are a clever, strong, 
intelligent child, but you are too independent: that 
is what is the matter with you. 

Robina fidgetted. 

“Don’t push your things about on your plate like 
that ! ” said Miss Felicia : “ and oh ! don’t kick me with 
your long legs under the table ! You really are most ob- 
jectionable in your manners — such a rough sort of girl.” 

“ Come, Auntie,” said Robina suddenly, “ I have 
been thinking a lot of my return home. I have never 
been to school before, and these are my very first holi- 
days, and anyhow, there is jolly good news ” 

“Don’t say jolly! It is a most unlady-like expres- 
sion.” 


[126] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Oh, I must talk a little slang. I can’t be too 
proper. Besides, ‘ jolly ’ is accepted now as the 
most correct English. ‘ Awfully jolly ’ is a lovely 
phrase.” 

“ It is a misnomer, and abominable. Don’t ever 
say < awfully jolly ’ in my presence.” 

“ I will try not to,” said Robina aloud. To herself, 
she whispered : “ I won’t be tempted : things never are 
awfully jolly when she is about.” 

“ May I tell you the nice thing that has happened ? ” 
she said, after a pause. 

“ Don’t spill that jam, Robina. See, you are drop- 
ping the juice on the table-cloth. Now then, what is 
your news? I don’t suppose it is worth anything.” 

“ To begin with : I am going away on a visit in a 
fortnight.” 

“ Indeed? ” said Miss Jennings. “ That is so likely: 
little girls do go away on visits without the permission 
of their elders. That is the modern tendency, I am 
well aware, but it has not taken root in this house so 
far.” 

“ Mr. Durrant has invited me,” said Robina, “ and I 
know father and mother will let me go : I am not a bit 
afraid on that point. Mr. Durrant will manage it.” 

“ Who is Mr. Durrant?” 

“ He is the Durrant, you know : everyone speaks of 
him. He is one of the greatest men in England at the 
present day.” 

Miss Jennings stared hard at her niece. 

“ Up to the present,” she said, “ I always did think 
you were truthful : but I cannot quite believe that the 
great African explorer, whose thrilling book I could 
scarcely lay down when once I began to read it, would 
take any notice of an inconsequent, silly little girl 
like yourself.” 


[127] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

" Oh, but he has,” said Robina, in a careless tone. 
“ He is very fond of me. I am his little boy's mother, 
you know.” 

Robina: don't open your lips for the remainder of 
this meal. Lies I will not stand.” 

Robina whispered ‘ prism ' under her breath, and sat 
mute with her hands folded. After a time, Miss Jen- 
nings asked if she wished for anything more. She 
shook her head. 

“ Are you satisfied ? Are you no longer hungry ? ” 

Robina nodded. 

“ Then leave the room.” 

Robina did so. The next minute she was out of the 
house, and had rushed round to the stables. 

“ Jim ! ” she said to the man who had charge of the 
old gray horse and the very humble chaise which was 
the only conveyance known at Heather House — the 
name of Robina's home. “ Jim: there is a very beau- 
tiful pony coming here to-morrow ; or he may not ar- 
rive till the next day. He is mine ; and I want him to 
have a stable all to himself, and I want to hire a proper 
groom to see after him. Do you know any nice boy in 
the village who can be trained to look after my 
pony ? ” 

Jim, who had always a secret admiration for Miss 
Robina as a fine, manly sort of young lady who could 
ride old Dobbin bareback from the time she could 
walk, and whom he had secretly provided with many 
a less safe seat on neighbors’ horses, now answered 
with alacrity: 

“You don’t mean, miss, as Mr. Starling has gone 
and bought you a powny of your own ? ” 

“ No, Jim ; nothing of the sort. It is such a comfort 
to confide in you, Jim: I won the pony as a prize at 
school.” 

J128J 


> <vx-y 



“ Ralph listened with his eyes shining.” (See page 53) 



















THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Lawk-a-mercy ! ” said Jim : “ what queer prizes 
they do have at that school, now ! ” 

“ Shall I tell you how I won it? I was good to a 
child.” 

“ Lor ! miss.” 

“ A dear little boy. I am his school-mother. He 
chose me — or rather, he didn’t choose me first, but 
I became his school-mother afterwards; and the prize 
was a pony and a side-saddle. You will have me 
skimming all over the country now when I am at 
home, Jim. I’ll be worse to manage than ever.” 

“ But miss, there is the master. How do you know 
as he’ll let you keep a powny ? ” 

“ Oh, that is all right,” said Robina. “ The gentle- 
man who has given him is going to pay all his ex- 
penses. He is quite a rich gentleman, and he doesn’t 
mind what he spends. So I want a very nice groom 
indeed.” 

“ I wish I could do for him, miss,” said Jim. I 
would with a heart and a half, but the master wouldn’t 
spare a minute of my time; and even if he would, 
Miss Jennings wouldn’t hear of it. She is very par- 
ticular, miss, and works a man real hard.” 

“ Robina, come in this minute ! ” called a shrill voice 
at that moment, “ and don't stand talking with Jim. 
Jim; how dare you idle your, time! Have you cleaned 
out the hen’s roost? and have you put down fresh 
straw for the laying hen ? and what about the ducks, 
Jim ? and don't forget that you are to go to the village 
early in the morning to get some fresh corn for the 
young turkeys. Robina, come here this minute: don’t 
dawdle: come quickly.” 

“ I was talking to Jim,” said Robina, “ about my 
pony.” 

“ Your what?” asked Miss Felicia. 

[129]. 


1 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ My pony : you would not let me tell you at supper 
time: you snapped me up so short. I have got such 
a lovely pony as a prize ! ” 

“ You dare to tell me such things ! ” 

“ But, Aunt Felicia, it is true. I have got a pony. 
I haven’t seen him yet, but I know he is going to be a 
perfect darling, and there’s a side-saddle coming too, 
and a habit made from my own measurements. My 
measurements were taken before I left school, so the 
habit will fit me perfectly, and will allow room for 
growing.” 

“ The pony may come,” said Miss Felicia : “ but if 
it comes, it goes. Do you suppose for a single mo- 
ment — you silly, selfish, thoughtless child — that your 
poor father, who has such expenses owing to your 
dear mother’s sad condition of health, can afford to 
keep a pony for you ? If anyone is fool enough to send 
the animal here it goes back again.” 

“ I am certain father won’t send it away,” said 
Robina, “ for it will cost no one anything. Mr. Dur- 
rant — the Durrant — for I have told no lies, Aunt 
Felicia — is going to provide for all the expenses of my 
pony. He spoke to me about it; and there is to be 
a groom engaged to look after my darling; and when 
I go away in a fortnight’s time to Sunshine Lodge, my 
pony comes with me, and father will never be one 
penny out of pocket as far as my pony is concerned.” 

“ Dear, dear ! Tut, tut ! ” said Miss Felica. “ Go 
into the house, Robina. You are either telling the most 
shocking lies, or something too marvelous has hap- 
pened. I am inclined to believe in your want of truth, 
Robina, and if this is proved to be the case, your 
punishment will be exceedingly heavy.” 


CHAPTER III 


A SURPRISE 

Late that night, Mr. Starling returned home. He 
was a heavily built, rather dull looking man. He was 
a gentleman living on his private means, and as these 
means were small, and he was far too lazy to add to 
them, the young Starlings had to do without the good 
things of life. 

His house was decidedly ramshackle; his grounds 
neglected; his stables in shocking disorder, and - his 
one groom and factotum, Jim, sadly overworked. 

Nevertheless, Edward Starling managed on the 
whole to enjoy life. He was fond of golf, and spent 
nearly all his time over this fascinating and absorbing 
amusement. Had Robina been willing to take up golf, 
he would scarcely have induced himself to send her to 
school ; but as it was, he did so for the sake of peace 
of mind. 

Robina was troublesome at home. She was too 
large and strong and determined for the invalid 
mother, and she was always rubbing the excellent, in- 
defatigable aunt the wrong way. Mr. Starling was, 
however, fond of Robina. He liked her bold, free, 
frank manners. He enjoyed her little tiffs with Aunt 
Felicia, and rather encouraged them than otherwise, 
and the very first thing he asked now when he entered 
the house was if his daughter had returned. 

“ Yes ; ” said Miss Jennings, who made it an invari- 
able rule to sit up for her brother-in-law, however 

[131] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


late he returned home. “Yes,” she said, yawning. 
“ Oh, dear me, Edward ! Don’t leave that muddy mark 
in the hall; I have such trouble getting those flags 
kept in order: and oh — don’t put your pipe down 
there ! I can’t endure the smell of smoke. I am very 
sorry that I am so sensitive, but neither I nor my dear 
sister can abide tobacco.” 

Mr. Starling slipped the pipe back into his pocket. 

“ There ! ” said his sister-in-law, springing up. “ It 
isn’t properly out, and will burn a hole, and then I 
shall have the trouble of mending it. You won't 
consider things, Edward. You are so thoughtless. 
Oh, I am the very last person to complain, but what 
was I saying? ” 

“ Talking about Robina. Is she home? ” 

“Home?” said Miss Jennings. “Yes; thank good- 
ness, hours ago, and in bed and asleep.” 

“ I can’t take a peep at her, I suppose ? How is the 
young monkey looking?” 

“ Whatever you do, Edward — don’t disturb her ! 
She is such a queer, excitable creature.” 

“ She is well, I suppose ? ” 

“ Yes; that is — her body is; I am by no means sure 
about her mind.” 

“ Her mind ? ” said Starling. “ Has anything gone 
wrong with that ? ” 

“ You will find out for yourself when you talk to 
her. She certainly has the most frightfully cock-and- 
bull stories to tell us. What an extraordinary school 
it must be! Robina is full of an invitation she has 
received from some impostor who has taken the name 
of the great Mr. Durrant, and she also speaks of a 
pony arriving here to-morrow. Of course the child 
is dreaming, but if her lies are proved to be lies, I shall 
punish her severely. I am, however, just, before all 

1 ' [132] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


things, and wait before I administer the rod. On the 
whole, Edward, I do not congratulate you on Robina’s 
return: we shall have a sorry time with her during 
these holidays, and so far, school has the reverse of 
improved her.” 

“ You always were doleful, Felicia,” said her 
brother-in-law : “ but as it is close on one o’clock, I 
will go to my room, and consider Robina’s iniquities 
in the morning — that is, if you have no objection.” 

“Objection?” cried Miss Jennings — “when I am 
just dying for my bed ! You men have no heart and 
no consideration. Here have I been sitting up wait- 
ing for you all this long, weary time, with my eyes 
weighted as though there was lead on the lids, and my 
back bowed with aching. But much you care.” 

“ I wish to goodness you would go to bed, and leave 
me alone,” said the irate man. 

“ Not I ; ” she replied, “ to have the house burgled 
in your absence, or set on fire when you return, with 
the careless way you manage that pipe of yours.” 

“Well: I’m off to bed now, Felicia. If you do 
choose to sit up, it isn’t my fault.” And the master 
of the house ran upstairs three steps at a time. Even 
his sister-in-law’s “ Don’t make so much noise ” failed 
to impress him in any way. 

He reached his bed-room, got rapidly into bed, and 
fell asleep chuckling over “ that monkey Robina,” as 
he called her. 

By the first post the next morning, there arrived two 
letters, both of immense interest to Robina. She had 
got up early and was, if the truth must be known, 
eagerly watching for the post. She saw the letters 
when they arrived, and had a sort of intuition that they 
contained news which would be of vital interest to her. 
But as they were addressed to her father, she could 

[133] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

do nothing towards gratifying her curiosity until he 
appeared. 

She was dressed that morning in one of her neat 
school frocks, and looked very bonny, and strong, and 
self-reliant. The two little sisters were eagerly clam- 
oring round her. 

“ Take my hand, Wobbin. Wobbin, let’s wun 
acwoss garden ! ” cried little Rose. 

“ Oh, Robin ! I don’t talk as badly as that,” said 
the more important Violet. 

Robina sat down on the window-sill, and played to 
her heart’s content with the two. In this attitude 
Miss Jennings found them. 

“ Now, Robina — I forbid you to spoil those chil- 
dren. Violet don’t attempt to cry, or you shall leave 
the room. Rose, put on your pinafore at once, miss. 
Now come to the table, all three of you, and let us be- 
gin breakfast.” 

Miss Jennings seated herself by the tea-tray. She 
uttered a short grace, and then porridge was dispensed. 
Little Rose could not bear porridge, and at once began 
to whimper. 

“ Don’t cry ! ” said Miss Jennings. “ If you do, you 
leave the room.” 

“ Eat up just a little bit, darling,” whispered 
Robina. “ I have such jolly things to tell you after- 
wards. Has father come home ? ” continued Robina, 
fixing her eyes on her aunt’s face. 

“ Of course he has come home, my dear : why 
shouldn’t he come home? Don’t, I beg of you, 
Robina, ask silly questions. Your father has no 
other house to sleep in, therefore when he is sleepy, he 
comes home. He is in bed at the present moment, and 
goodness only knows when he will come down to 
breakfast” 


[134] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


" Oh, I hope he will come down soon ! ” said Robina, 
“ for I want him to open his letters.” 

“Very impertinent and forward of you! Your 
father’s letters are not your concern.” 

“ Not always,” replied Robina, calmly, and helping 
herself to strawberry jam : “ but those two happen to be.” 

“ Have you been trying to read them through the 
envelopes ? ” 

“ No : but I looked at the postmarks.” 

Miss Jennings was silent for an awful moment. 
Then she said, impressively: 

“ Little girls ; listen to me.” 

The two children looked up expectantly. 

“ Never at any time copy the ways of your elder 
sister unless you wish to be whipped.” 

Violet smiled rather vaguely. Rose’s little pale 
face grew paler. She nestled close to Robina. 

“ I ’uv oo, Wobbin,” she said then, in a low, tremu- 
lous whisper. 

“ Bravely spoken, darling,” whispered Robina back 
to her ; and at that moment, to the relief of every one, 
Mr. Starling entered the room. 

His big presence and bright personality made a 
pleasing diversion. 

“ Hullo, monkey ! ” he said, the minute he saw 
Robina. " So you are back once more — the proverbial 
bad penny, eh ? ” 

He pinched her cheek. “ ’Pon my word, you are 
looking fine! And how do you like school, monkey? 
and how is every bit of you ? Glad to have you back : 
expect we’ll have some fun now.” 

“ Sit down, Edward, and don’t keep Robina stand- 
ing any longer,” said Miss Jennings. 

Mr. Starling winked solemnly at his daughter, and 
took his seat. 


[135] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Hallo ! What are these ? ” he said, as he saw his 
letters. 

“ They are for you, father,” said Robina, eagerly : 
“ but I think they are about me.” 

“ About you, monkey ! How can you know ? ” 

“ Don’t encourage her. Edward, don’t read those 
letters at present,” said Miss Jennings. 

“ Oh, please do, father,” said Robina. 

“ Peese, farzer, peese ! ” said little Rose. And 
“ Please, father ! ” came in a more pronounced voice 
from Violet. 

To the relief of everyone at that moment Miss Jen- 
nings received a hasty summons to run upstairs to her 
invalid sister. The moment she left the room, Mr. 
Starling seized the first letter. 

“ Here goes 1 ” he said. “ When the cat’s away — 
now then, monkey, and you two, listen to me.” 

He tore open Mr. Durrant’s letter, glanced through 
the contents, uttered a hasty exclamation, and then 
proceeded to read it aloud. 

“ My dear Sir : — I have a very great favor to ask 
of you. I want to know if you will spare your dear 
girl, Robina, to me for the greater part of these holi- 
days. I have just secured a charming house at East- 
bourne, quite above the town, and in a comparatively 
country place. I don’t know what its real name is, 
and what is more, I don’t care ; but while Robina is 
with us, it is to be called Sunshine Lodge. I am ex- 
pecting also a number of her young school companions 
to visit me. Mine will be a bachelor’s establishment, 
but it will be enlivened by the presence of my little 
boy, who is Robina’s very great friend, and whom she 
has managed to be uncommonly kind to. She will 
doubtless herself tell you the story of her friendship 

[136] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


for my little son. In consequence of that, I have the 
very great pleasure of awarding to her a prize which 
she has most justly won. It was open to the competi- 
tion of all her form, and she out of the eight girls came 
first in the list. My little son, Ralph, himself decided 
the matter. This prize is a pony which I am forward- 
ing to your residence, Heather House. I bought it 
at Tattersall’s yesterday, and believe that it is a 
thoroughly sound and well-trained animal, accus- 
tomed to carrying a lady in the saddle. It has no 
tricks, and is altogether safe, and also spirited. The 
animal is not too large, and at the same time, not too 
small, so that it can be made use of not only when your 
little girl is still a child, but by and by, when she 
reaches woman’s estate. A habit has been made for 
her, of the newest design, and safety pattern, and was 
forwarded yesterday from Poole’s, in London. It 
ought to reach her about the time when you receive 
this letter. A side-saddle, of the most comfortable 
make, accompanies the pony. I am sending the pony 
and saddle by a man of my own, whom I hope you will 
make arrangements to quarter either in your establish- 
ment or in rooms near. The man is part of the prize. 
He undertakes all the care of the pony, and is, of 
course, paid by me. His wages need not trouble you 
in any manner, for you, my dear sir, have nothing 
to do with them. I am well aware, that, delightful 
as ponies are, they may sometimes arrive at country 
houses where they are not welcome for reasons which 
need not be described. It would be a shabby present 
on my part, if I put you to any expense with regard 
to it. My man will provide the pony with all neces- 
sary provender, and will send me the bill monthly. 

“All these things, my dear sir, your daughter has 
earned by her most admirable conduct; and believe 

[137] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


me, I am very much her debtor, and shall always re- 
main so, for she has done for the dearest being on 
earth to me, more than money can ever repay. 

Believe me, Dear Sir, 

Yours faithfully, 

“ Malcolm Durrant.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Robina, when the long letter had come 
to an end. 

“ Upon my word ! ” exclaimed her father. 

He took up the other letter. It was merely an an- 
nouncement that a horse of the name of “ Bo-peep ” 
was about to be forwarded by rail from Paddington 
that evening, and would arrive with his groom at the 
nearest station to Heather House at eleven o’clock the 
following morning. 

“ Why, the pony will be here in an hour ! ” said Mr. 
Starling. Dear! dear! dear! What a truly exciting, 
remarkable thing! Robina, monkey: what am I to 
make of you ? ” 

Just then, Miss Jennings came into the room. 

“ Haven’t you done breakfast yet? ” she said. “ Oh, 
don’t make such confusion in the room, and don’t talk 
all of you at once.” 

“ We have something to talk about,” said her 
brother-in-law. “ This child — this monkey of mine, 
has made her mark in the world already. She has got 
a pony of her own.” 

“ I have heard of it,” said Miss Jennings. “ You 
do not intend to be such a fool as to keep it, Edward.” 

“ Keep it ? I have nothing to do with it. The 
pony, Bo-peep by name, arrives with his own special 
groom, and the groom is found food and lodging and 
paid wages by Mr. Durrant — Malcolm Durrant, the 
great traveler and explorer. I have no expense what- 

[138] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ever with the pony. He belongs to Robina, and she 
has won him by doing some extraordinarily kind ac- 
tion — what, I cannot make out. For goodness' sake, 
my dear Felicia, don’t get so excited. It is my turn to 
say ‘ don't ’ to you now. Keep out of the way, if 
the news is not welcome to you. The pony is coming, 
and we can’t prevent its coming ; it will be here in no 
time, and the children and Robina will, if I am not 
greatly mistaken, spend a small part of to-day trying 
his paces.” 

“ Then your two young children will be killed ! ” 
said Miss Felicia, folding her hands and standing 
stock-still for a minute and then preparing to leave 
the room. 

A timid laugh from Violet, and a shriek of dismay 
from Rose greeted this utterance. But Robina clasped 
Rose in her arms. 

“ Oh, my pretty sweet ! ” she said. “ Bo-peep 
won’t kill you. I will get into the side-saddle, and 
you shall sit in front of me, and I will put my arm 
round your waist, and you'll be as steady and safe as 
old Time.” 

“ As Ole Time ! ” echoed Rose, the tears arrested in 
her eyes. 

“ There is another bit of news, and you may as 
well have it first as last,” said Miss Jennings’ brother- 
in-law. “ Robina leaves us in less than a fortnight, 
to spend the rest of her holidays at a place called Sun- 
shine Lodge.” 

“And you permit this?” said Miss Felicia. 

“ Am I likely to refuse Malcolm Durrant? ” was the 
response. x 

Miss Felicia felt vanquished ; for even she respected 
Malcolm Durrant She left the room. 


[139] 


CHAPTER IV 


THE PONY CONQUERS 

The pony was a beauty. He was a glossy chest- 
nut, with a white star on his forehead. He had gentle 
and wonderfuLeyes, and a way of raising his feet from 
the ground, which showed his high breeding. His 
different points were pronounced first-rate. In short, 
Bo-peep was a success. He took not only Robina her- 
self, but the entire family of Starlings by storm. The 
very moment he arrived, he walked straight into their 
hearts. But his most marvelous conquest was that of 
Miss Felicia Jennings. That lady would not admit it 
for the world, but the fact was, that Malcolm Durrant 
was her hero of heroes. For years she had followed 
his career with the deepest and most absorbing inter- 
est. She had lived in his adventures ; she had read 
every word he ever wrote; her maiden heart had 
thrilled through and through over his dangers and 
wild adventures, and, in short, she could deny nothing 
to the person who had so captivated her fancy. 

She pretended, it is true, to be snappish and dis- 
agreeable about Bo-peep ; but when alone with this 
captivating little animal, she fed him on apples, car- 
rots, and stroked his nose, and even said foolish noth- 
ings into his ear. Bo-peep also took a fancy to her, 
and trotted up to her when she came in view, and 
thrust his nose into her hand. 

Robina was not more tolerated than usual, but that 
was of small consequence ; for Bo-peep could do what 
he liked with the household. The first day of his 
[ho] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


arrival passed in a sort of universal rejoicing. Rob- 
ina rode him with much majesty, and a lofty ex- 
pression of face. Her little sisters in turn sat before 
her on the side-saddle. Her friends from the nearest 
house came Jo see, wonder, and congratulate. 

The groom, Peter by name, was very nearly as much 
admired as was Bo-peep himself. Mr. Starling openly 
announced that he had never enjoyed himself so much 
before. Peter was likely to prove a most valuable ac- 
quisition to the family, and the only thing that was 
regretted was the groom’s determination never to eat 
food in the kitchen. 

“ Your tea will be always ready for you in case you 
wish for it,” Miss Felicia was heard to say. 

But Peter replied stoutly that he had his orders, 
and that, in fact, he had already secured for himself 
a room over the saddler’s shop in the village. 

“ But suppose Bo-peep should be ill in the night,” 
said Miss Felicia. 

At this the man smiled. 

“ ’Tain’t likely, madam,” he said. “ The ’oss is a 
strong 'oss, and when I leave him, after grooming him 
down and giving him his mash, he won’t want no one 
else to interfere with him until the morning.” 

Thus the arrival of Bo-peep was one of the hap- 
piest things that could have happened to Robina. The 
horse had, however, been two days at Heather House 
before Mrs. Starling heard of the event. It was 
Robina who broke the news to her. She was busily 
engaged now getting ready her wardrobe for her de- 
lightful visit to Sunshine Lodge. Mrs. Starling sent 
her a message to come to see her. The good lady was 
lying on a couch by the window, 

“ Come in very gently, Robina,” she said, “ and try 
to make as little noise as possible.” 

[Hi] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Robina advanced as quietly as she could. She sank 
down by her mother’s sofa, put one firm hand over 
the invalid’s tremulous one, and said, in a broken sort 
of voice: 

“ Oh, mummy ! ” 

“Don’t be so intense, my dear; it makes my heart 
flutter.” 

“ But aren’t you better, mummy dear ? I have such 
a lot of things to talk over with you.” 

“ I canhot bear them, Robina ; that is, if they are 
exciting. Since you came, I don’t know how it is, 
but I have felt as though the whole house was in 
a flutter. This state of things is exceedingly bad for 
me, and my palpitations are much worse in conse- 
quence.” 

“ That is because you don’t know,” said Robina. 

She leaned out of the window. There was a 
struggle in her heart. If there was one thing more 
than another that she pined and longed for, it was 
to take possession of that poor, weak, suffering, ner- 
vous mother of hers, and give her some of her own 
strength, some of her own life. It was one of Rob- 
ina’s hidden, unspoken griefs that her mother never 
understood her, and that she turned away from her 
child to Aunt Felicia for sympathy. Now Robina 
thought and wondered. 

“ Mummy,” she said, “ I am going to speak in a 
very low voice, and you need not get a bit excited. 
But you see I am very happy.” 

“ Ah, yes ; ” said Mrs. Starling, still speaking almost 
in a whisper. “ I understand, and I am not envious. 
Happiness is very far from me, but I am glad my 
children enjoy it — my children and my husband.” 

“ But we want you to have it too.” 

“ It is the will of Providence that I should lie here 
[142] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


very weak and suffering. I must submit without a 
murmur,” said the invalid. 

“ Mummy, let me talk to you. I know you sent me 
away to school ” 

“ I cannot go into those things now, Robina. I did 
not manage it ; it was your aunt.” 

“ If Aunt Felicia were not here, you would depend 
on me; you know you would, mummy.” 

“If your aunt were not here, I should die — if I 
had not her to comfort me. 

“Well, darling; she is here, and she does comfort 
you, I know ; and we are glad — father and I and Violet 
and Rose.” 

“ Oh, the dear little children, they are quite sweet,” 
said Mrs. Starling : “ they are never strong and in- 
dividual like you, Robin.” 

“ But I can’t help being individual, as you 
call it, mummy; and I am so much older than the 
others.” 

“Yes; that is it: if you could only always stay a 
baby.” 

“Well, I cannot;” said Robina, losing some of her 
patience ; “ and what is more, I don’t wish to. God 
meant me to be strong and to have, as you call it, a 
personality. Now listen. I have got a pony — oh ! I 
have such a pretty story to tell you about it, and how 
I won it.” 

“ I can’t listen to any story to-day.” 

“ Well, anyhow, it is here ; and even Aunt Felicia 
loves Bo-peep and I want you to see him.” 

“Really, this is most extraordinary,” said Mrs. 
Starling. You have got a pony? Such a very great 
expense ! Who bought it for you ? ” 

“ Not father, mother. I won him as a prize at 
school. He has been sent here by a good gentleman 
[ 143 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


who gave the prize, but he costs nobody else any- 
thing at all, and his name is Bo-peep : and what father 
and I think is this: that we might presently have a 
basket chair got and Bo-peep could draw you about the 
grounds. Then you would get better, my own 
mummy ; and — and — I should be so happy ! ” 

Robina waited tremblingly. She wondered how her 
mother would take her proposal. 

“ I am much too weak/’ said the invalid, after a 
pause, “ even to go downstairs, much less to venture 
outside to be drawn about by your pony. But I al- 
ways was interested in horses ; we had a great many 
at my old home; and if the pony could be brought 
where I could see him from this window, it would — 
well — gratify me. Can we manage it ? ” 

“ Oh yes, yes ; I will go this minute.” 

“ Don’t rush wildly across the room and slam the 
door after you, I beg of you.” 

“ Oh, no, no. I won’t leave you at all. I mean, I 
will just go downstairs and give directions, and come 
back again myself.” 

“ Do, my dear : I am really interested in horses.” 

Robina came back after a minute or two, and by and 
by, there was a little commotion on the badly kept 
lawn outside the house, for Bo-peep was led forward 
by Peter the groom. He wore his side-saddle, and 
perched on his back were both little girls, who looked 
perfectly radiant, and who waved their hands franti- 
cally to their mother. Mr. Starling stood by, so that 
the poor nervous woman was not afraid of any acci- 
dent happening ; and lo ! and behold ! also belonging to 
the group was Miss Jennings, and she held a bunch of 
carrots in her hand. This tempting bonne bouche was 
far too much for the greedy Bo-peep, who marched 
boldly up to the lady, rubbing his nose against her, 

1 144] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


and requesting, as clearly as pony could speak, more 
and more of his favorite dainties. 

“ What a pretty creature ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Star- 
ling. “ Really, he reminds me of my old favorite 
horse, Prince. How happy and strong I was — as 
strong as you are now, Robina — when I rode Prince.” 

“Shall we open the window, mummy? You will 
see him better then.” 

Robina did so, and Mrs. Starling came quite close, 
and bent a little out of the window, and called Bo-peep 
once or twice in her faint voice. 

“Oh, don’t catch cold, dear!” screamed Miss Jen- 
nings from below. 

“ Don’t interfere, dear ! ” responded Mrs. Starling 
from above. 

“Isn’t he a beauty, mummy? Isn’t he a darling?” 
called Violet. 

“ He’s Wobbin’s and mine too ! ” cried Rose, bend- 
ing her little body forward, and clasping her arms 
round the pony’s neck. 

“ Robina,” said her mother, turning to her, “ put 
on your habit, go downstairs at once, and let me see 
you mount Bo-peep. I do hope you know how to 
spring properly into your saddle: I should like to see 
how you manage it.” 

Robina did manage it, and to her mother’s satisfac- 
tion. The invalid was better that evening, and the 
next day requested once again that Bo-peep should 
be brought round for inspection. 

And now an extraordinary thing happened: for 
from seeing the horse at a distance, the good lady 
took an unreasonable desire — at least so it seemed to 
Miss Jennings — to see him near: and as this could 
only be accomplished by coming downstairs: down- 
stairs she came, Bo-peep was then led up to the din- 

j ■ ins] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ing room window, and graciously received a carrot 
from Mrs. Starling’s own hand. By and by, she too 
was stroking his face, and looking into his eyes, and 
murmuring his name in tones of the deepest affection. 
In short, Bo-peep was bidding fair to cure Mrs. Star- 
ling. 

But the fortnight which Robina was to spend at 
home was drawing to an end, and the day was ap- 
proaching when she, Bo-peep, and Peter, were to leave 
Heather House en route for Sunshine Lodge. Mrs. 
Starling was unreasonable about this. She wanted 
Bo-peep to remain behind, and Robina was quite will- 
ing that it should be so. 

“ I have got so much,” she said ; “ and mother loves 
my little horse, and I can think of him as a delightful 
creature to return to before I go back to school.” 

But on this occasion, it was no less a person than 
Miss Felicia Jennings who interfered. 

“ No, Robina,” she said : “ you don't do anything of 
the sort. That great man, Malcolm Durrant, has 
given his orders, and I for one should be the very last 
person to have them disregarded. He wishes you to 
go to him. A command from him is like a command 
from Royalty, my child, and must not for a moment be 
disregarded. He wishes that precious little animal, 
Bo-peep, to accompany you, and the animal is to go. 
Your mother did without the pony for years, and can 
do so still. If indeed we could afford to have a little 
carriage made for her, I believe we could induce her 
to drive out daily with Bo-peep as her steed. But as 
your father can barely afford to pay your school 
expenses, that is not to be thought of. Now, my dear, 
you go in the morning: I trust you will behave well. 
By the way, you have offered to you, Robina, a mar- 
velous chance in life. You have won the goodwill 
[i 4 6] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


and esteem of no less a person than Malcolm Durrant. 
Oh! if only the chance were mine! If sometime you 
have the opportunity, tell him, my dear, how a dull 
old maid in a country house in England revels in his 
work, and admires his character. Tell him that, if 
you like ; and endeavor, Robina, to keep down those 
faults which will very naturally, if he perceives them, 
turn him against you. For you are headstrong, and 
rough, and self-reliant, and above all things, you need 
the grace of humility.” 

“ Thank you, Aunt Felicia,” said Robina. “ I know 
you arc exceedingly kind, and you mean well, but 
perhaps Mr. Durrant understands me a little better 
than you do.” 

“ Now, there you are ! ” said her aunt ; “ as im- 
pertinent as ever ! Don’t — I beseech of you — make 
speeches of that sort to Malcolm Durrant. Now go up 
to your mother : she wants to see you. She thinks you 
are improved. I don’t ; but the opinion of an old maid 
never signifies.” 

“ Oh, Aunt Felicia ! ” 


[147] 


CHAPTER V 

Harriet's jealousy is rekindled 

It is all very well for a little girl to repent as Harriet 
Lane repented on that night when she followed Ralph 
to the gipsies’ hiding-place. Such repentances make 
a deep impression in life. They are never, as a rule, 
forgotten. They influence the character, and if they 
are followed by earnest resolve and patient determina- 
tion to conquer in the battle, they in the end lead to 
victory. But let no one suppose who reads this story 
that a girl with such a nature as Harriet possessed 
could easily overcome her various faults. It is true 
she was now really attached to Ralph. She had 
never cared for a little child before; but there was 
something about Ralph that won her heart. At the 
same time this very affection of hers for the little boy 
added to her feelings of dislike and envy towards 
Robina. In her first agony of remorse for what she 
had done; in her terror with regard to little Ralph, 
and her fear that he was lost to her and to all her 
friends forever, she even thought gently and kindly 
of Robina. When Robina was made Ralph’s school- 
mother, and when she obtained the pony as her prize, 
Harriet submitted to her fate. Nevertheless, the 
thought of Robina rankled in her mind, and when 
the little girls met at Sunshine Lodge, it was Robina 
who was the first thorn in Harriet’s side. 

Outwardly, it would have been impossible to find a 
merrier group than those eight girls when they ar- 
[148] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


rived in a wagonette at Sunshine Lodge. Ample 
preparations had been made for their welcome. Arches 
of evergreen and flowers were put up over the gates 
and along the avenue ; and over the front door “ Wel- 
come, Welcome ” appeared in letters of flowers. In 
every direction smiling faces were to be seen — smiling 
faces at the lodge gates, smiling faces at the front 
door; and Mr. Durrant, strong, self-reliant, holding 
Ralph by the hand, was the most delightful sight of 
all. 

“ Now, my children, you have come,” he said. 
“ Ralph, greet all your little mothers. Ralph, my son, 
do the honors of the occasion. There are servants, 
my children, to show you to your rooms. We shall 
meet at tea-time. You will be best alone with Ralph 
for the time being.” 

“ Oh, my naughty, naughty, darling school- 
mother ! ” cried Ralph, flinging himself into Harriet’s 
arms. He did go to her first, he did cling round her 
neck, he did press his kisses to her thin cheek. Be- 
fore Anyone else, he was hers ; her heart swelled with 
triumph. But the next minute, it sank with a feeling 
of ugly jealousy; for was not his clasp still tighter 
round Robina’s neck, and did he not whisper some- 
thing into Robina’s ear, and did not Robina flush with 
pleasure ? The other mothers also came in for a share 
of his rapture: but Harriet, keen to notice and ob- 
serve, felt that notwithstanding the fact that he had 
come to her first of all, Robina must be his favorite. 

The first couple of hours, however, spent at Sun- 
shine Lodge were too brilliantly, intoxicatingly happy 
for even jealousy to find much scope. Harriet was 
hurried along with her companions from one room to 
another, from one point of enjoyment to another. 

When they had examined the house and expressed 

[149] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

themselves satisfied with their sweet little bedrooms, 
and when they had glanced at the tea-table, and ob- 
served the numbers of cakes which it contained, and 
the vast piles of bread and butter and the dishes full 
of jam and the plates of fruit and the combs of honey, 
and all the other imaginable good things that go to 
make up that meal of all meals — an English nursery 
tea, they were hurried off to the stables. 

Here were donkeys ; donkeys enough for each girl 
to select one as her special property ; and here was Bo- 
peep, and Ralph’s own lovely little pony, Bluefeather. 
Bluefeather was black as ink, and was only called blue 
because Ralph liked the color, and because the pony’s 
mane was so thick and strong and waved so in the 
wind. 

Now at the sight of Bo-peep and Bluefeather stand- 
ing side by side and eyeing each other with consider- 
able appreciation, Harriet’s smoldering jealousy woke 
into a fierce flame. She felt a sudden sense almost of 
sickness stealing over her. Jane Bush was standing 
not far off. 

“ Come, Janie,” she said, all of a sudden, speaking 
harshly and with something of her old tone. “ I am 
tired of looking at stupid donkeys; I don’t want to 
choose my donkey this evening; come and let us take 
a walk all by ourselves before we have to go in to 
tea.” 

“ I say,” called Ralph, “ naughty school-mother, we 
are going to tea almost immediately.” 

“ Well, you can call me when you are ready for 
me,” said Harriet, “ I sha’n’t be far away.” 

She tugged at Jane’s arm. Now Jane was not in 
the least jealous; she was charmed to possess a don- 
key. A pony was, of course, preferable, but to have a 
donkey all her own to call any name she liked for the 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


whole of the rest of the holidays was quite enough to 
fill her heart with rejoicing. 

“ I shall call mine Thistle,” she said. “ Don’t you 
think that is a good name, Harriet ? ” 

“ Oh, I am sure I don’t care,” said Harriet. “ Call 
it Thistle or Nettle, or anything else you fancy; I am 
not interested in donkeys.” 

“ Well, I am,” said Jane, a little stoutly. “ Why 
should we go away, Harriet ? ” 

“ Aren’t you going to be friends with me any more, 
Jane? ” 

“ Of course, only I thought ” 

“ Oh, your thoughts ! as if they signified,” said Har- 
riet. “ Look here, Jane ; do let’s walk up and down in 
front of the house. Of course we’re going to have a 
jolly time; but I want to have a little chat with you, 
with you — my old, my oldest friend — all by ourselves.” 

“ Oh, well,” said Jane, mollified at once, “ if you 
are going to make me your friend, like we used to be 
before that dreadful day when Ralph ran away, of 
course I shall be glad. But I thought you were quite 
changed, that you were the good-girl-for-evermore 
sort. You know you did repent — everyone in the 
school knew it, and on the whole, I was glad, al- 
though you gave me up.” 

While Jane was speaking, the two girls had left the 
yard, and had entered a little bowery path which led 
round to the left side of the house. Here they could 
be seen from the house, but could not be heard. Har- 
riet looked full at Jane when they found themselves in 
this bowery retreat. 

“ Look here,” she said, “ I must out with it.” 

“Well?” said Jane, expectantly. Jane looked 
stouter and rounder and broader than ever. “ Well? ” 
she repeated, fixing her black eyes on Harriet's face. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ I am not a good-for-evermore sort of girl,” said 
Harriet. Then she stood very still, and waited for 
Jane to reply. 

Jane could not tell at that moment whether she 
was most glad or sorry. Harriet had always rather 
frightened her, and since the date of Harriet’s repent- 
ance she, Jane, had had what might be expressed as 
a very good and comfortable time. She had got into 
no scrapes, she had had of course no adventures; but 
then she had worked at her studies, and had made 
such admirable progress that she even won a small 
prize at the break-up. 

Nevertheless, Jane had her own little jealousies, and 
although they were not so marked as Harriet’s — for 
her character was nothing like as strong as the char- 
acter of her friend — they did rankle in her breast. 
To be even the one confidante of the naughty girl of 
the third form was better than to be no one’s confidante 
at all ; and from the moment of Harriet’s repentance, 
Jane had been feeling very safe, but just a little dull, 
and just a tiny bit forsaken. Now, therefore, to re- 
ceive the old confidence back again, to notice the dar- 
ing look in Harriet’s light blue eyes, and to hear the 
old ring in her voice, awoke a certain very naughty 
pleasure in Jane. 

“ Oh well,” she said ; “ I thought your good fit 
couldn’t last forever. But what is it now ? ” 

“ I am just madly jealous of that Robina,” whispered 
Harriet. 

“Oh,” said Jane; “it’s the old thing! But why 
can’t you leave poor Robina alone ? ” 

“ I can’t : she has got Bo-peep.” 

“ Well ; of course she has,” said Jane. “ You knew 
quite well she would get Bo-peep from the moment 
that you made such a mess of things with poor little 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

Ralph, and he was handed over to Robina to mother 
him. That is no news, surely you ought to have got 
over that by now.” 

“ I ought ; but I haven't,” said Harriet ; “ so where's 
the good of ‘ oughting ' me about it ? ” 

“ I see you are the same as ever,” said Jane in a 
low tone in which satisfaction and perplexity were 
mingled. 

“ I am,” said Harriet, “ and what is more, if they 
think I am going to ride one of those horrid donkeys, 
they are very much mistaken. You can mount on your 
Thistle, or your Nettle all by yourself, as far as I am 
concerned. If I can’t have a pony like Bo-peep or 
Bluefeather, I shan't ride at all.” 

“ Oh, Harriet ; you will make us all so unhappy, and 
it will look so bad, and dear Mr. Durrant won't like 
it ” 

“ Dear Mr. Durrant ! ” echoed Harriet in a tone of 
great contempt. “ He ought not to expect a girl like 
me to ride a donkey; it is a sort of reproach to me, 
that it is ! ” 

“ Oh, Harriet ! I never knew anyone quite so kind 
as Mr. Durrant; and then you will vex little Ralph; 
think of that ; you do love Ralph.” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet, thoughtfully. “ On the whole, 
I love him very much. I never cared for a little boy 
before ; he is quite the nicest child I have ever come 
across, but there are some things even about him that 
I cannot bear. I v/ant him to stop calling me his 
naughty school-mother. It is like for ever and for 
ever bringing up my little adventure with him. I am 
going to speak to him about that. He sha’n't go on 
with it ; I mean to put a stop to it.” 

“ Oh, but he does it so innocently,” said Jane. 

“ It vexes me,” interrupted Harriet, “ and he sha’n’t 

.[1531 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

go on with it. Then I do want him not to show such 
a marked preference for Robina when I am by. I 
wish — I do wish ” 

“ What?” said Jane. 

“ That I could yet get him really to love me best. 
The fact is this, Janie. I don’t like Robina one little 
scrap more than I ever liked her; and if I could open 
Ralph’s eyes, and get him to see that she is not a bit 
nice really; why — that would be something worth liv- 
ing for.” 

“ I don’t know how you are to manage it,” said 
Jane ; “ and I think,” she added, “ even if you could do 
it, it would be a very horrid thing to do.” 

“ Oh ! what a goody you are turning into ! ” was 
Harriet’s response. “ Well, I am going to put my 
wits in soak ; I generally think out a way when I have 
pondered it long enough Oh, trust me, Janie; and all 
I want from you is this — ” 

“What?” asked Janie. 

“ Your help when the time comes.” 

“ Oh, dear ! ” said Jane. “ That means something 
wicked ! ” 

“ You have a nice opinion of me, Jane.” 

“But it does, doesn’t it?” said Jane. “I cannot 
tell you how mean I felt when I had to praise you all 
day long that day when I was Ralph’s school-mother. 
I got positively sick of the feeling: I don’t want to 
have to do that again.” 

“ You won’t,” said Harriet. “ It will be something 
quite different now. But there’s the tea-bell, and I am 
hungry. I am so thankful that we need not stand any 
longer in that yard looking at those hideous donkeys. 
Let us run to the house; let’s see who’ll be there 
first!” 

The tea was quite as delightful as healthy appetites 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


and cheerful faces round the board, and merry laughter 
and gay young voices could make it. Mr. Durrant 
himself was present at the tea-table, but he did not 
preside. It was Robina who on this occasion was 
given the position of tea-maker. 

“ I am going to be fed and petted and fussed over,” 
said Mr. Durrant. “ I say, you eight little mothers, 
you have got to mother me a bit ; you have got to keep 
my plate well supplied. I have a ravening wolf in- 
side me, and he must be well fed. I am good for any 
amount of cakes, and jam, and bread and butter; so 
see you feed me. Don’t keep me waiting an instant 
when my plate gets empty; and I am a whale on tea, 
I can tell you ; cup after cup I shall want. The little 
mothers must keep me going with fresh cups of tea. 
Yes, Robina shall preside to-day — she is the good 
school-mother — and Harriet to-morrow, and so on, 
and so on. Now then, let us fall into place. Ralph, 
my son, take the lead; you are the gentleman of the 
house on this occasion.” 


[155] 


CHAPTER VI 


An eventful morning 

The tea came to an end without any special ad- 
venture and afterwards the children disported them- 
selves to their hearts’ content in the gardens. 

The gardens were very extensive. There were pad- 
docks and lawns, and running streams where some of 
the little mothers declared they could see tiny minnows 
and other minute fish darting about ; and there was a 
round pond with water-lilies on it and there were many 
swings, and hammocks in the trees. Besides these de- 
lights, there were walled-in fruit gardens, and great 
glass-houses inside which grew those rarest and most 
fascinating flowers, orchids. 

The children were allowed to explore all the houses 
on condition that they picked nothing and invariably 
shut the doors behind them. They all had a great 
deal to see and to talk over, and even Harriet forgot 
her jealousy and laughed and joked with the others. 
Bed-time came all too soon. Ei£ht sleepy little girls 
went up to their different rdt^ns and laid their heads 
on their pillows, and fell sound asleep, and eight very 
happy little girls, thoroughly refreshed and full of joy- 
ful anticipation, awoke • on the following morning. 

They awoke to the fact that the sun was shining, 
that the sky was blue, and that the sea in the distance 
was one dazzling blaze of sparkling waves and ex- 
quisite color. 

At breakfast-time, Mr. Durrant arranged that the 
entire party should ride down to the beach, where 

[156] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


those who wished could bathe, and those who did not 
could play on the sands until it was time for early 
dinner. Dinner was to be at one o’clock, and this was 
to be followed by a long drive, which was to terminate 
in a vast picnic tea, where real tea was to be made, 
and cakes, bread and butter and other things con- 
sumed. The party were to return to Sunshine Lodge 
rather late, and then Mr. Durrant would amuse them 
with a marvelous magic lantern which he possessed, 
and would show them, as he expressed it, some of his 
adventures in South Africa. 

“ Father doesn’t often do that sort of thing,” whis- 
pered Ralph to his school-mother Robina. “ He 
doesn’t even like to talk ’bout his ’ventures, ’cept when 
he’s special pleased. So you’re all in good luck, I can 
tell you.” 

“Oh, we are just too happy for anything!” said 
Robina. 

“ Now then, children,” called Mr. Durrant’s voice 
from the other end of the table ; “ if you have had suffi- 
cient breakfast, will you disperse, please, and shall we 
all meet in the porch in a quarter of an hour? Our 
different steeds will be waiting for us, and we can each 
mount and ride away.” 

It was at this moment* that Jane cast a fearful, half- 
admiring, half-beseeching glance at Harriet. Now but 
for this glance of Jane’s it is quite possible that Har- 
riet might have thought better of her conversation of 
the previous day, and might have even mounted on 
her donkey’s back and ridden off, a happy, laughing 
child to the sea-shore. Harriet adored the sea, hav- 
ing been brought up there when quite a little child. 
She could bathe; and swim like a little fish; and it 
did dart through her mind how very superior she 
would be to her companions when she was swimming 

[157] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


about and they had to content themselves with simply 
ducking up and down in the water. Mr. Durrant 
would be sure to admire her when he saw what a good 
swimmer she was. Harriet craved more for admir- 
ation than for anything else in the world. But now 
that look of Jane’s recalled her to her remark of the 
previous evening. 

She had vowed that nothing would induce her to 
mount a donkey. At any sacrifice, therefore, she must 
keep her word. If Jane thought little of her, the 
world would indeed be coming to an end. 

Accordingly, she sat very still, munching her bread 
and butter slowly, and looking straight before her. 
Robina, on the other hand, was in great excitement. 
She talked openly and, as ^Harriet said to herself, in 
the most abominable taste, of the delicious ride she 
would have on Bo-peep’s back to the sea-shore. 

“ You will ride with me on Bluefeather ; won’t you, 
Ralph ? ” she said to the little boy. 

“ In course I will ! ” he said. 

In his white drill sailor-suit Ralph made the most 
lovely little picture. Harriet looked up at that mo- 
ment, and caught his eye. Ralph, quick to perceive 
when anyone was in trouble, immediately left Robina, 
and flew to Harriet’s side. 

“ What can I do for you, naughty school-mother ? ” 
he said. 

“ Look here, Ralph ; I won’t be called by that name,’’ 
said Harriet. “ I dislike it very much. If you think 
me naughty, you ought not to speak to me.” 

“ Oh — I — I love you ! ” said Ralph. 

“ Then show it in some less unpleasant way,” said 
Harriet, who now that she had given tongue to some 
of her grievance, flew in a regular passion ; “ and,” 
she added, rising as she spoke, “ I don’t know what the 

[158] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

rest of you mean to do, but I sha’n’t ride this morning. 
I don’t like riding donkeys, so that’s all about it.” 

She got up and marched from the room. Mr. Dur- 
rant had already gone. The eyes of the rest of the 
school-mothers followed her, and Jane’s face grew 
first white and then pink. 

“ Oh Jane,” said Robina, the minute Harriet had 
gone, “ what is the matter now ? I am sure I don’t 
mind riding one of the donkeys and Harriet can have 
Bo-peep. Do run after her and tell her so ; do, please, 
Jane. It’ll spoil all our fun if she doesn’t come down; 
please get her to come.” 

“ But,” said Ralph, “ I know father will want you 
to ride Bo-peep, Robina ; for he said so last night. He 
said he had not seen you yet on Bo-peep, and he was 
ever so anxious to, and ’sides — your habit wouldn’t 
fit Harriet : Harriet is much thinner than you.” 

“ Yes ; I never thought of that,” replied Robina. 
“ Well, I do wish she wouldn’t be so troublesome. 
Shall I go and find her, and try and bring her round 
to a proper sense of things; it is tqo hard that she 
should spoil all the fun.” 

“ No, don’t ; there is no use in it,” said Jane. 

“ But I will,” said Robina ; “ she must not be so in- 
considerate. Think what dear Mr. Durrant will say. 
“ Ralph, my darling, come with me and coax poor Har- 
riet. You know she loves you very much.” 

“ Yes ; let’s coax her,” said Ralph. 

He took Robina’s hand and they left the dining- 
room. As they were going upstairs Ralph said, still 
clinging hard to Robina’s hand: 

“ I love Harriet, but I love you much, much, much 
the best.” 

“ Love us both,” said Robina, “ and don’t say which 
of us you love best.” 

[159] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Oh, I can’t help it,” said Ralph. “ Harriet’s nice 
sometimes, but you are nice always, and I am very 
glad you have got Bo-peep.” 

“ Well, we must do our very best to make Harriet 
come with us to-day,” said Robina, and she knocked 
as she spoke at that young lady’s door. 

A sulky voice from within murmured something, 
and Robina opened the door. Harriet was standing 
with her back to the door. She was pretending to 
gaze out of the window. When the knock came, she 
imagined that it was Jane, coming to expostulate with 
her. Had this happened, she would probably have 
given vent to her feelings in no measured language; 
but when she turned and saw Robina, the smoldering 
fire in her breast rose to white heat. 

“ Go away!” she said, just glancing at Robina and 
Ralph and then resuming her position with her back 
to them. “ I am busy at present : go away.” 

“ You aren’t busy, Harriet,” said Ralph, laughing ; 
“ why, you’re doing nothing at all.” 

“Yes I am; I am thinking; go away, both of you, 
I don’t wish to talk to you.” 

“ Oh, Harriet ! ” said Ralph. There was a cry of 
pain in his voice, and just for a minute Harriet’s re- 
solve to be intensely disagreeable wavered; but Rob- 
ina’s voice recalled her to her worst self. 

“ Ralph, I must ! ” she whispered. Then she said 
aloud : “ I do want you to ride Bo-peep this morning, 
Harriet. And you can easily wear my habit, although 
it may be a little big for you. Please, Harriet, do 
come downstairs and be nice and jolly with us all. 
You shall ride Bo-peep, and I will ride whichever 
donkey you have selected. I love riding a donkey, it 
is such fun.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Harriet ; “ oh ! — before I’d demean my- 
[160] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


self to tell such lies! You love to ride on a donkey, 
do you? Then ride one, I am sure I don’t care. But 
as to my demeaning myself by getting on your pony’s 
back — I may be small, but I’m not as small as all that ! 
No: go, both of you; I hate and detest you both. 
Ralph, you need not consider me your mother any 
more. I am not your school-mother — I am nothing 
at all to you. I am just a very cross, angry girl and 
oh, do go away, please ! ” 

“ Come, Ralph,” said Robina. 

She took the little boy to the door. She opened the 
door; she pushed Ralph outside. 

“You are just angry, Harriet,” she said then; 
“ but I know you will be sorry by and by ; and in- 
deed, indeed, neither Ralph nor I are what you 
think us.” 

“ Oh go — go ! ” said Harriet ; and Robina went. 

The moment this happened, Harriet flew to the door, 
and locked it. 

“ Now am I to be left in peace? ” she thought. She 
was in a white heat of rage. At that moment, there 
was no bitter, angry, nor desperate thing she would 
not say. She knew perfectly well that she had injured 
her own cause ; that now Ralph could never love her. 
Had she not told him to his face that she hated him? 
— little Ralph, who had never from his birth had one 
harsh word addressed to him. Had she not said — oh, 
with such vehemence, such hot, angry rage, that she 
detested him, that she could not bear him in her pres- 
ence? Well, she did not care. She was in too great 
a fury at present to regret her own words. Robina 
and Ralph had taken her at her word : they had gone 
away. There was absolute stillness upstairs. Sun- 
shine Lodge was a big house, and to Harriet’s bed- 
room not a sound penetrated. She could not even 
k [161] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


hear the merry voices of the gay cavalcade that must 
even now be starting for the sea-shore. 

They would have to ride quite three miles to that 
part of Eastbourne where Mr. Durrant had arranged 
that bathing tents were to be erected on the beach. 
Harriet sat down on the low window-sill, clasped her 
hands and looked out. Why was she here? She 
might have been as jolly as the others. Oh, no; of 
course she could not possibly be merry and gay like 
the rest of the children; it was not in her nature. 
Nevertheless, she had looked forward to her time at 
Sunshine Lodge. She had made a great boast to her 
brothers and sisters and to her home companions, of 
the gay and delightful time she was about to have. 
Well, why was not she having it? The sun was shin- 
ing, the sky was blue, the distant sea looked, oh ! so 
inviting. The crisp waves were even now coming 
up on the sands and retreating again with their ever- 
lasting ‘ I wish, I wish ’ sort of sound. There were 
the donkeys for the contented children to ride, and 
there was the kindest of all hosts to give them every 
happiness. Why was she out of it? 

“ Because I am so mad, and bad ! ” she thought ; and 
then she covered her face with her hands and burst 
into angry tears. 

Harriet was neither sorry nor repentant, as she had 
been on that occasion when little Ralph was lost. She 
was furious at once with herself and with Robina, and 
even with Ralph. Why did Robina come prying and 
spying to her room? and why did she dare to bring 
Ralph with her? and then why did she make that de- 
testable, hypocritical offer to her? Harriet, indeed, 
to be seen riding Robina’s pony! — the pony given to 
Robina by Mr. Durrant because she had been so kind 
to his little son! What a martyr Robina would look 
[162] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


on one of the donkeys ! and what a monster of selfish- 
ness she, Harriet, would appear riding on Bo-peep’s 
back ! Oh, yes : Robina wanted to serve her own ends 
when she would bestow on Harriet the favor of let- 
ting her ride her pony. 

“ She thinks she is not sure of Ralph : she thinks she 
is not quite sure of Mr. Durrant. She meant to 
clinch matters with both of them by her pretended 
unselfishness this morning,” thought the furious girl. 
“ But I have circumvented her ; I am glad I have.” 

However angry one may be ; however furious one’s 
passions may become, it is difficult to keep up the 
anger and the commotion and the fierce storm within 
the breast when there is no one to listen, no one to 
watch, no one, either, to sympathize or to blame. In 
the stillness of her little room Harriet’s angry heart 
cooled down. Her cheeks no longer blazed with fury, 
her eyes no longer flashed. After her time of storm, 
she felt a sort of reaction which made her cold and 
dull and miserable. She was not a bit repentant, ex- 
cept in as far as regarded her wn pleasure. But she 
was weary, and came to the conclusion that her life at 
Sunshine Lodge would not be such a happy one after 
all. 

When she had reached this stage of discomfort and 
depression, there came a tap at her room door, and one 
of the maids tried to turn the handle. Harriet then 
remembered that she had locked the door. She went 
and opened it. The girl asked with a smiling face if 
she could arrange the young lady’s room. 

“ Certainly,” said Harriet. “ I am going out.” 

She took a big straw hat from, a peg on the door 
and put it on her head. 

“ I made sure, miss, that you were away to the 
shore with the others.” 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ I did not go with them,” said Harriet. 

“ I hope, miss,” said the girl, glancing at Harriet, 
and observing the red rims round her eyes, “ I hope 
that you ain’t ill, miss.” 

“ No, I am quite well, thank you; but the fact is, I 
don’t care for donkey rides. I am going out now, so 
you can arrange my room as soon as you like.” 

“ Thank you, miss,” replied the girl. 

Harriet ran downstairs. The hall door stood wide 
open: a little gentle breeze came in and fluttered the 
leaves of some books on the hall table. The air was 
sun-laden, and Harriet was glad to get out-of-doors. 
The little place seemed still and undisturbed ; but by 
and by she came to a gardener’s boy, and then to the 
gardener himself. They both touched their hats, to 
her. She wandered on and on. Presently, she reached 
the round pond. Here the water-lilies grew in pro- 
fusion — great yellow cups, and still larger white ones. 
Harriet felt that desire which comes to almost every 
child to possess herself of some of the great waxen 
blossoms. She bent forward and tried to pick one. 
She could not manage it, however, for the flowers with 
their thick stems were hard to gather, and she knew 
that were she to try any harder she might fall into 
the pond. This she had no wish to do, and contented 
herself with standing by the bank. 

As she was thus standing, wondering what she 
should do next, she heard a clear little voice say : 

“ Hallo there ! ” and Ralph bounded out of a thick 
undergrowth close by. 

“ Ralph ! ” said Harriet. She felt herself coloring. 
Shame absolutely filled her eyes. She did not want 
to look at the boy, and yet, in spite of every effort, 
her heart bounded with delight at seeing him. 

“ Did you want some of those ? ” said Ralph, eagerly. 
[164] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ I will pick them for you. I know quite well how I 
can manage. See,” he added eagerly, “ do you notice 
that willow tree growing right over the pond? I will 
climb along that branch, just where it dips so near 
the water, and Til put my hand out, and cut off some 
of the beautiful blossoms for you. Aren’t they just 
lovely ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet, “ but I don’t want them. Don’t 
endanger your precious life for me, Ralph, it isn’t 
worth while.” 

As Harriet spoke, she turned away, marching with 
her head in the air in the opposite direction. She 
heard a cry, or fancied she heard one; and a minute 
afterwards, eager steps followed her. 

“ Harriet,” said Ralph’s little voice. He slipped his 
hand inside her arm. “ What has I done ? Why do 
you hate me, Harriet? What has I done?” 

Harriet looked round. Then for a minute she stood 
quite still. Then, all of a sudden, her eyes fell ; they 
fell until they reached the brown beseeching eyes of 
Ralph. Over her whole heart there rushed such a sen- 
sation of love for the boy that she could not restrain 
herself another moment. 

“ Oh, Ralph ! ” she said, with a sob. “ I am about 
the nastiest girl in all the world. But I do, I do love 
you ! Oh Ralph, Ralph ! ” 

She flung her arms around him, dropping on her 
knees to come nearer to him. Just for a minute, she 
gave him a fierce kiss ; then she let him go. 

“ It is Robina I hate,” she said ; “ it is not you.” 

Ralph gave a sigh. 

“ I am glad you don’t hate me,” he said, “ ’cause 
you see I love you.” 

“ And why aren’t you with the others ? ” said Har- 
riet, suddenly. 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Couldn’t,” said Ralph, shaking his head. “ Stayed 
a-hint ’cause of you; wanted to be with you — couldn’t 

yy 

go- 

“ Then you do really love me ? ” 

“ I has said so,” answered Ralph. 

A warm glow such as \ fire might make entered 
Harriet’s heart. She sank down 1 on the mossy turf 
and drew Ralph to sit near her. 

“ You are very nice,” she said. “ I am very, very 
glad you stayed. But what did your father — what did 
he do?” 

“ Father? ” said Ralph, in a surprised tone. “ Noth- 
ing, in course.” 

“ But he wanted you to go, surely? ” 

“ I said to father I must stay home this morning 
’cause of one of my school-mothers.” 

“ And then ? ” said Harriet. 

“ Father — he said, ‘ Send Bluefeather back to the 
stables.’ ” 

“ Then, Ralph ? — and was that all ? ” asked Harriet. 

“ ’Course,” said Ralph. “ Father don’t question 
’less at something very naughty.” 

“ Oh,” answered Harriet. After a pause, she said : 
“ He didn’t ask you which of your school-mothers ? ” 

“ No,” said Ralph. “ Think he guessed, though.” 

“ Did your father go with the others to the sea- 
shore ? ” 

“ Oh, yes : he went in the governess cart. He drove 
the donkey that drew the governess cart his own 
self.” 

“ You must have been very sorry to give up your 
fun,” said Harriet. 

“ ’Course,” said Ralph. 

u But you did it for me ? ” 

" 'Course,” said Ralph again. He concealed noth- 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

ing, denied nothing. He looked full now into Har- 
riet’s face. 

“ What is the matter ? ” she asked. 

“ You said you hated Robina and me ; then you said 
afterwards that you did not hate me — you loved me, 
but you hated Robina. I want you to love us both. 
By the time Robina comes back, I want you to be 
a-loving of her as hard as you’re a-loving of me.” 

“ Well, I can’t do that,” said Harriet, so there is no 
use wishing it. 

Ralph sighed. “ She is very, very good,” he said. 

“ Ralph,” said Harriet, suddenly ; “ there are some 
things I cannot bear.” 

“ What ? ” asked the little boy. 

“ I love you, and I can’t bear you to be fondest of 
Robina.” 

“ Very sorry,” said Ralph, shaking his curly head. 

“ Don’t you think,” said Harriet, drawing him close 
to her and fondling his chubby hand, “ that you could 
manage to love me best ? I want your love more than 
Robina does.” 

“ Sorry,” said Ralph again. 

“ Then you do love her best ? ” 

“ ’Course,” said Ralph, “ much best.” 

Harriet pushed him away. 

“ Then I don’t want to sit with you,” she said, “ nor 
talk to you. Go to Robina altogether. I — I sup- 
pose I am jealous ; it is a horrid thing to be, but I sup- 
pose I am. You needn’t have stayed at home for me 
this morning. I don’t hate you; I was in a passion 
when I said I did; I love you very much but — I can’t 
stand a love like yours, the greater part of which is 
given to Robina.” 

“ Shall I tell you why I love her?” said Ralph. 
“ ’Cause she is strong and good and brave, and she 


i THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

teaches I lots of things; and she lets I look into her 
face ; and she tells stories — wonderful stories ! ” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet. She was gazing intently at 
the child. 

“ Now you doesn’t,” said Ralph. “ You did one 
day when I was with you, one day when you gave me 
picnic breakfast and we went to town and bought 
things for a picnic tea. But Robina does it every day ; 
and I feel that she is strong, and — and — I can’t help 
it — I have to love her best.” 

“ I will tell you what I am,” said Harriet ; “ you 
had best know me for what I really am. I don’t like 
Robina just for the simple reason that she is stronger 
than me, and she can tell better stories, and she has 
got Bo-peep and I have not; and she is cleverer than 
me and has taken my place in the form. I was happy 
enough before she came to school, but I am not happy 
now.” 

“ I am so sorry,” said Ralph. “ It seems an awfu’ 
pity, ’cause she can’t help being clever. My father’s 
clever: he can’t help it. Does you hate him ’cause of 
his big, big brains?” 

“ Oh, no, no — it’s quite different. You don’t under- 
stand what friendship means, Ralph.” 

“Yes, I do: Robina tells me. When your friend 
isn’t happy, you’re not happy; that’s one thing ’bout 
friendship. And you would do anything for your 
friend — anything: that’s another. I heard father once 
speak of that. He did a wonderful big thing for a 
friend of his. I am always wanting to do a big thing 
for Robina, and a big thing for you. I know it isn’t 
much, but I did stay home for you this morning.” 

“ So you did ; and you are a dear little boy ; and I 
wish I wasn’t such a horror myself,” said Harriet 
suddenly. “ Leave me, now, Ralph : after all, there is 

U 68] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


nothing you can do for me. I am cross, I suppose, 
but I’ll be better by-and-by.” 

Ralph went away very sadly. He could not under- 
stand Harriet. His beautiful morning was wasted. 
Suddenly, he found himself back again by the round 
pond. The lilies were looking more lovely than ever 
in the sun. A dragon fly had just got out of his chrys- 
alis, and Ralph watched him for a moment as he 
poised for flight. 

All of a sudden, the wish to pick some water-lilies 
for Harriet returned to him. He would show her by 
this means how truly he loved her. She did want the 
lilies, he knew it, for he had seen her tugging so hard 
at one. “ And she just lost her balance,” he said to 
himself. “ Poor, poor Harriet : It would have been 
horrid if she had failed into the pond ! ” 

The thought of getting some lilies for Harriet re- 
stored the little boy’s sense of happiness. He was his 
father’s own son, and knew no fear. Harriet was one 
of his school-mothers — the school-mother he loved 
second best. He made up his mind quickly to pluck 
three yellow lilies for her, and four white ones. That 
would be seven in all. Someone had told him that 
seven made a perfect number. He could easily reach 
the lilies if he climbed the willow tree, and gently 
pushed himself along that branch which bent over the 
pond. 

No sooner did the thought come than he proceeded 
to put it into action. The supple bough, however, 
bent very low beneath his weight. Ralph was but a 
little boy, however, and the bough would undoubtedly 
hold him if he did not go too far along its slender 
stem. He had plucked one lily, and his little hand had 
grasped a second, when all of a sudden there was an 
ominous crack at the further end of the bough. It 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

bent so low into the water now that Ralph’s balance 
was upset, and he found himself struggling in the 
deep pond. Ralph was not a minute in the water be- 
fore Harriet, who was really not far off, rushed to the 
spot. Into the pond she plunged, seized the boy by his 
collar and dragged him with some slight difficulty to 
the shore. They were both very wet, but neither of 
them in the least hurt. Harriet stood by, dripping 
from head to foot. 

“ Oh, Ralph, Ralph ! ” she cried. “ Did you do that 
to show that you loved me ? ” 

“ Yes ; oh yes ; ” said Ralph. “ Why, I nearly died 
for you, and you nearly died for me ! ” 

“ We must be the best and greatest of friends now,” 
said Harriet, quick to seize the opportunity. ‘‘But 
come into the house at once; you must get all your 
things off, or you will catch cold. Oh, and Ralph ; 
promise me one thing — this shall be a secret between 
you and me. You will never tell anybody that you 
risked your life to get me the flowers, and I will never 
tell a soul that I risked mine to save you.” 

“ Oh — but you are splendid ! ” said Ralph. “ Why, 
I should be dead now but for you, Harriet.” 

“ Of course you would, Ralph,” she answered ; but 
she took care not to tell him that she was an excellent 
swimmer and had not risked her life in the very least 
when she sprang into the pond to save the little boy. 


CHAPTER VII 

MR. DURRANT’S NEW PLAN 

Harriet took Ralph to her own room. There she 
changed all his things and made him get into her bed 
until she could fetch some fresh ones for him. He was 
cold, and shivering a great deal, but Harriet, quite 
unacquainted with the illnesses of young children, was 
not in the least alarmed. She ransacked Ralph's 
wardrobe for another little drill suit, and he was 
dressed in new, dry clothes, and all trace of his duck- 
ing in the pond was removed before the party returned 
from their picnic. 

Harriet herself had remained much longer than 
Ralph in her wet things, but she also was in fresh 
garments when they stood holding each other's hands 
ready to welcome the others on their return. 

Somehow, that ducking in the pond had quite man- 
aged to restore Harriet’s good humor. She and 
Ralph now held a secret between them, and she was 
firmly convinced that his friendship for Robina must 
be seriously weakened thereby. 

“ Why, Ralph, my little man,” said his father, “ you 
do look well.” 

He was pleased to see how bright his little son’s 
eyes were and what a high color he had in his cheeks, 
and never guessed that the brightness of the eyes was 
caused by slight fever, and that the pretty cheeks were 
flushed for the same reason. At dinner time, Ralph, 
of his own accord elected to sit near Harriet, and at 
intervals during the meal he whispered in her ear: 

[171] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ None of them knew ’cept you and me I risked my 
life for you, and you risked your life for me.” 

“Yes, yes,” whispered Harriet back; “but none of 
the others must know. Don’t say those words so loud, 
Ralph, or they will hear us.” 

Ralph snuggled close to Harriet, now in an ecstacy 
at the thought which the great secret they held be- 
tween them caused. The rest of the day’s programme 
was carried out in all its entirety. But towards even- 
ing, Ralph’s feverish symptoms had increased. Dur- 
ing the picnic tea he was unable to eat anything, and 
Harriet when questioned had to confess that her throat 
was sore. 

The next day both Harriet and Ralph were ill, 
but Harriet was much worse than Ralph. To be in 
bed, to be unable to get up and enjoy the fresh air 
and the sunshine was a trial very hard for so small 
a boy as Ralph to bear; but when he was told that 
Harriet was worse than he, and that the doctor had 
to be sent for, he submitted to his own illness with 
a good grace. It was Robina who brought him the 
tidings. 

“ Harriet is really ill,” she said ; “ but Dr. Fergus- 
son says that you will very soon be all right again ; 
you have only caught a little cold : I wonder how you 
managed it.” 

“ Oh, I know quite well all about it,” said Ralph. 

“Do you, dear? then you ought to tell us,” said 
Robina. 

Ralph’s soft brown eyes flashed with anger. 

“ Does you think I’d be so mean? ” he said. 

Robina looked at him in surprise. After a long time 
he made the following remark : 

“ Harriet is quite the most noble girl in the world. 
If it was not for Harriet, there’d be no me at all.” 

.[172], 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Robina burst into a merry laugh. 

“ Oh, Ralph ; you funny little boy ! ” she said ; 
“ what are you talking about ? ” 

“ You don’t underland Harriet/’ was Ralph’s next 
speech, and he looked at Robina without the favor 
he used to bestow upon her. She was his school- 
mother and, of course, the one he loved best; but still 
she had never saved his life. 

“ I wish I could see my darling Harriet,” he said, 
after a pause. “ I wish I could see her all by my 
lone self. I want to talk to her. We has a great 
secret atween us.” 

The doctor, however, had forbidden Ralph to leave 
his bed that day, and certainly Harriet could not leave 
hers. In consequence, the children did not meet for 
a few days, and then it was rather a pale little boy who 
rushed into the arms of a thin, pale girl who, weak 
from the somewhat severe attack she had gone 
through, was seated in an easy chair not far from an 
open window. 

“ Now go ’way, all of you,” said Ralph, “ I want to 
talk to my ownest school-mother. I has a great secret 
to talk over with her.” 

The others obeyed without any protest. Robina, 
when she left the room, turned to Jane. 

“ I am sure of one thing,” she said : “ something 
must have happened that day when Ralph and Harriet 
were left alone together. They were both quite well 
even although Harriet was cross when we started on 
our expedition to the beach ; but they both got ill that 
very night, and since then, Ralph has altered: he is 
devoted to Harriet.” 

“ Perhaps he has learned to love Harriet best,” said 
Jane. 

In spite of herself, there was a tone of triumph in 

[173] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

her voice, for was not Harriet her friend, and did not 
every one else adore Robina ? 

“Would you mind?” she asked, fixing her round 
black eyes now on Robina’s face. 

“Mind?” replied Robina. “Yes,” she said, after a 
little pause, “ I don’t like to own to such a horrid 
feeling, but I am proud of Ralph’s love.” 

She turned away as she spoke. She was going to 
her own room. In order to reach it, she had to pass 
the tiny chamber where Ralph slept. She found one 
of the maid-servants coming out. The woman had in 
her hand a little white drill suit all soaked through and 
much stained with the green weed which grows on 
ponds. 

“ I have just found this, miss,” she said, “ in the 
cupboard in Master Ralph’s room. I wonder how it 
came there. Surely, little Master Ralph has not had a 
ducking in the pond.” 

Robina felt the color rushing into her face. For a 
minute, a sense of triumph filled her. Then she said, 
gently : 

“ Send that suit to the wash, please, Maria ; and,” 
she added, “ do not say anything about it.” 

“ There are stockings too, miss, all sopping, and 
shoes.” 

“You can have the shoes dried, can’t you?” said 
Robina. 

“ Oh, yes, miss, certainly.” 

“ Well, send all the other things to the wash.” 

“ Yes, miss,” said the girl. “ Perhaps,” she added, 
after a pause, “ these things account for little Master 
Ralph not being well for the last few days.” 

“ They may or may not, Maria : anyhow, we won’t 
talk about that,” said Robina. 

She went downstairs. Her heart was beating fast. 

[174] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


The fierce desire to drag the truth from Harriet at any 
cost, which had overpowered her for a minute, had 
passed away. Her face was pale. She sat down on 
the nearest chair. 

“ Are you tired, my dear ? ” said Mr. Durrant, ap- 
proaching her at this minute, and sitting down by her 
side. 

“ No ; not really tired,” she answered. 

“ I am glad to find you all by yourself, Robina ; 
there are many things I want to say to you.” Robina 
waited expectantly. “ You and Ralph are capital 
friends, aren't you ? ” 

“ I hope so, indeed — indeed I love him dearly,” said 
Robina. 

“ And so does he love you. I cannot tell you, 
Robina, how thankful I am that he has made a girl of 
your sort one of his greatest friends ; he might so very 
easily have chosen otherwise. There is Harriet Lane, 
for instance. Poor Harriet, I don’t want to speak 
against her, but she is not your sort, my dear. Now I 
like an open mind, generous — if you will have it, a 
manly sort of girl, one with no nonsense in her: one, 
in short, who will help Ralph to be the sort of man I 
desire him to be by and by. You, my dear, as far as I 
can tell, are that sort of girl. You have no fear in 
you. You have, I think, an open mind and a generous 
disposition. Compared to Ralph, you are old, al- 
though of course in yourself you are very young. I 
shall have to leave my little boy immediately after the 
summer holidays. My wish was to send him to school 
— to Mrs. Burton’s school — where he could have had 
a little discipline, school life, and the companionship 
of many young people. But I have received a letter 
from Mrs. Burton which obliges me to alter my 
plans.” 


[175] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Oh,” said Robina, speaking quickly, “ I am very, 
very sorry ” 

“ So am I, dear, more sorry than I can express. I 
am terribly upset about this letter, and I do not think 
it wrong to confide my trouble to you.” Here Mr. 
Durrant drew his chair close to Robina’s side. 

“ You see, my dear child, I treat you as though you 
were grown up.” 

“ Please do, Mr. Durrant,” said Robina, “ for there 
is nothing I would not do for you.” 

“ Well, this is the position,” said Mr. Durrant. 
“ Mrs. Burton won’t be able to conduct her own school 
for the next term. She has induced a lady, a great 
friend of hers, to take the school over, and her hope is 
that she may be able to return to it herself after 
Christmas. Even this, however, is doubtful. Mrs. 
Burton’s friend, Miss Stackpole, has had much experi- 
ence of schools, but she is a maiden lady ; and, in short, 
will not admit dear little Ralph as one of her pupils. 
Mrs. Burton is obliged to spend the next term with her 
only sister, who is dangerously ill, and must undergo 
a serious operation. My plans, therefore, for Ralph 
are completely knocked on the head. I cannot possibly 
take him with me to South Africa. I have undertaken 
an expedition to that country which is full of ad- 
venture and danger. No young child could accom- 
pany me. I cannot bear to send Ralph to the ordinary 
boys’ school; and, in fact, my dear Robina, it has oc- 
curred to me that if I could possibly get a lady, trust- 
worthy, kind, sensible, to keep on this house, I might 
induce you to stay with her as Ralph’s companion. 
Were this the case, I would myself undertake all your 
future education. You should have the best masters, 
the best mistresses that money could secure, and. event- 
ually, if you wish it, you should go to Newnham or 
[ 176 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Girton. I would see your father, my dear Robina, on 
the subject, and arrange the matter with him. You 
would have a right good time, for the lady I have in 
my mind’s eye is a certain Miss Temple, a cousin of 
my own, a very gentle and sweet woman, who would 
do all she could for your comfort and happiness, and 
would not unduly coerce you. Being Ralph’s school- 
mother, and the girl he has chosen above all others as 
his special friend, I doubt not that he would love the 
arrangement. As to your fees at Mrs. Burton’s 
school, those can, of course, be managed. What do 
you say, Robina ? Are you willing to continue at Sun- 
shine Lodge as my dear little boy’s greatest friend — 
in fact, as his little school-mother ? ” 

“ Oh, I should like it ! ” said Robina. “ But does 
it not depend on Ralph ? ” she continued. 

Mr. Durrant moved rather impatiently. 

“ I have never coerced Ralph in the least,” he an- 
swered. “ My endeavor has been from his birth to 
allow my dear little boy to choose for himself. I be- 
lieve in the young, clear judgment of extreme youth. 
I think that little children can penetrate far. Of all 
your schoolfellows he chose you, Robina; and who, 
my dear child, could have been more worthy ? ” 

“ But I am full of faults,” said Robina, tears spring- 
ing to her eyes ; “ you don’t really know me. At home 
I am often blamed. My Aunt Felicia doesn’t think 
highly of me. You ought to go to my home and ask 
my own people what they really think with regard to 
me.” 

“ It is my intention to do so. I must talk to your 
father and mother about this plan ; but somehow, I 
do not think they will disappoint me, and as a matter 
of fact I do not believe any little girl could better help 
my little son than you can.” 
l [177] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Only suppose — suppose,” said Robina, “ that he 
prefers Harriet.” 

“ Harriet ? ” cried Mr. Durrant ; “ but there is surely 
no chance of that ? ” 

“ I don’t know, I am not sure. He likes Harriet 
certainly next best after me; he may even like her 
better.” 

“ I think not : you are without doubt the favored 
one. Robina, we are all alone now. Harriet Lane is 
your schoolfellow. Tell me honestly what you think 
about her.” 

Robina sprang to her feet. 

“ As her schoolfellow,” she said, hastily, “ I cannot 
tell you anything about her; please don’t ask me. 
This, Mr. Durrant, is a very serious matter, and I — I 
would rather not say.” 

“ You have answered me, my child,” said Mr. Dur- 
rant, “ and as I thought you would. Now, we will 
talk no more on the matter.” 

Robina left him, and went into the grounds. The 
happy summer days were slipping by. Why is it that 
summer days will rush past one so quickly on such 
swift wings, that almost before we know it, they have 
all gone — never, never to return? 

The eight little school-mothers at Sunshine Lodge 
wanted no one good thing that could add to the joys of 
life. From morning till night, their cup of bliss 
seemed to overflow. In addition to all the pleasures 
provided for them, they had perfect weather, for that 
summer was long to be remembered in England — that 
summer when day by day the sun shone in the midst 
of a cloudless sky, and the warm, mellow air was a de- 
light even to breathe. 

While on this occasion Mr. Durrant was having a 
long talk with Robina and giving her to understand 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

what he really wished with regard to the future of his 
little son, that same little son was pouring out his heart 
to Harriet. 

“ You is better, isn’t you ? ” he said. 

“ Yes,” replied Harriet, who had resolved to make 
the very most of things. “ But I was ill, very ill 
indeed : I don’t think the doctor expected me to 
live.” 

“ And you’d have died — you’d have become deaded 
for me ? ” said Ralph. 

“ Yes,” answered Harriet, patting the little brown 
hand. “ But I am all right now,” she added ; “ I am 
only weak.” 

“ I love you like anything,” said Ralph. 

“ Of course you do, Ralph,” answered Harriet. 

“ There is nothing at all I wouldn’t do for you.” 

Harriet longed to say : “ Love me better than 

Robina, and I will have obtained my heart’s desire.” 
But she did not think the time for this speech had 
come yet; and as, in reality, notwithstanding her af- 
fection for Ralph, she found herself from time to time 
rather worried by his presence, she now requested him 
to leave her, and the little boy ran downstairs and out 
into the open air. 

There the first person he saw was his father. 

“ Oh, dad ! ” said the boy, dancing up to his parent, 
and putting his little hand in his. 

“ Well Ralph, old man,” said the great traveler, 
lifting the boy to his shoulder, “ and how are you this 
afternoon ? ” 

“Werry well,” said Ralph, “ nearly quite well,” he 
added. 

“ And how is our other invalid, Harriet Lane ? ” 

“ She is better, father. Dear Harriet has been awfu * 
bad. Did you guess, father, how bad she was?” 

[179] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ No, my son: and I don’t think she was as bad as 
all that, for the doctor did not tell me so.” 

“ But slie telled me her own self. She wouldn’t tell 
a lie, would Harriet.” 

“ Only, Ralph, when people are ill, they imagine 
they are much worse than they really are. That was 
the case with Harriet. She will be all right now in a 
day or two, and you can enjoy yourself as soon as pos- 
sible.” 

“ Oh yes ; oh yes ! ” said Ralph. He clasped one 
arm round his father’s neck. “ Why has you got 
such a big brown neck ? ” 

“ Because, I suppose, I am a big brown man.” 

“ I love brown men ever so,” said Ralph. 

“ That is right.” 

“ And I love you best of all ; and — and Harriet, and 
Robina. I has got three very great special friends — 
you, and Harriet, and Robina.” 

“ Why do you put them like that, Ralph ? ” an- 
swered his father, a certain uneasiness in his tone. 
You mean it this way: you love father first — that is 
quite right — then comes Robina, then Harriet.” 

“ It used to be like that,” said Ralph, in a very low 
tone. 

“ And it is still, my son ; it is still.” 

Ralph fidgetted, and was silent. After a time he 
said: 

“ Put me down please, father.” 

Mr. Durrant obeyed. 

“ Take my hand, father,” said Ralph, “ I want to 
lead you somewhere.” 

Mr. Durrant took the little hand. Ralph conducted 
his father to the edge of the round pond. 

“ Does you see the water over there ? ” said Ralph, 
“just over there where the lilies grow?” 

[180] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Of course, my dear boy.” 

“ And does you see the branch of the willow tree ? ” 

“ Well, yes, Ralph ; having ryes, I see both the 
lilies and the willow tree.” 

“ Could you make a great, great guess, father, 
about how deep the water is there ? ” 

“ Roughly speaking,” said Mr. Durrant, “ I should 
say the water in that part was from seven to eight feet 
deep.” 

Ralph straightened himself and looked full up at his 
father. 

“ I isn't eight feet high, is I ? ” 

Mr. Durrant laughed. 

“ You little man,” he said, you ape not four feet yet.” 

“ Then if I was to stand bolt upright in that water 
where the lilies grow, I’d be drownded dead as dead 
could be ? ” 

“ Were such a thing to happen, you would be.” 

“ But if somebody swimmed out, somebody very, 
very brave, and clutched me, and brought me back to 
shore, I wouldn’t be a drownded boy; I’d be a saved 
boy,” said Ralph. 

“ That is true.” 

“ I’d most likely,” continued Ralph, “ love that per- 
son very much.” 

“ It would be a brave thing to do, certainly,” said 
Mr. Durrant. ** But then it has not happened, Ralph, 
so don’t let your imagination run away with you.” 

“ No father,” said Ralph ; “ I won’t let my Pagin- 
ation run ’way with me. I don’t quite know what it 
means, father; but — I won’t let it, — ’cause then I 
shouldn’t be close to you, father ; and I love you best, 
and then Harriet, and then Robina.” 

“ Robina is a very fine girl,” said his parent. “ I 
like her very much ; I am glad she is your friend.” 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ So does I like her : she was my school-mother. I 
like Harriet too, father: I like her awfu’ much. I 
mustn’t tell you nothing at all, but I like Harriet best 
of all my school-mothers.” 

Mr. Durrant thought for a short time over Ralph’s 
little speech to him. It puzzled the good man not a 
little. He did not, however, lay it deeply to heart. 
The boy was under the influence of Harriet, and, truth 
to tell, Mr. Durrant did not take to that young lady. 
He was, however, sufficiently interested in her to pay 
her a visit that same evening in her own room. 

She. was a good deal startled and somewhat non- 
plussed, when he first knocked at the door, then bent 
his tall head and entered the room. 

“ Well, Harriet,” he said, “ I thought I would find 
out for myself how you are. I hope you are progress- 
ing well, and will soon be able to join the rest of us. 
It was strange how you and Ralph both caught cold 
the same day: it was very unlucky. How are you to- 
night, my dear girl ? ” 

“ Better,” said Harriet, changing color as she 
spoke, for she was rather weak from her illness and 
was much excited by Mr. Durrant’s visit. “ I am bet- 
ter,” she continued ; “ I hope to be quite well by next 
week.” 

“ So do I hope you will be quite well, for time is 
speeding very fast, Harriet: the summer holidays go 
almost before we know they are with us. Now I have 
many expeditions in my mind’s eye — expeditions in 
which I want you and Ralph to join. This is Saturday 
night. To-morrow is Sunday. To-morrow, I am go- 
ing to leave home for a day or two, but on Monday I 
shall be back again. I hope by then to find you quite 
well and enjoying yourself with the rest of your 
6chool-fellows. Everything that man can do will be 
[182] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


done for your pleasure, and I trust I shall find my little 
party without any invalids amongst them waiting to 
welcome me back on Monday evening at the latest.” 

“And what is going to happen on Tuesday?” 
asked Harriet, whose eyes began to sparkle now, for 
she had suddenly lost her fear of Mr. Durrant. 

“ The weather is so fine at present,” was his reply, 
“ that I have chartered a yacht and am going to take 
you all for a cruise. What do you say to that? You 
are not likely to be sea-sick, are you ? ” 

“ Never was sea-sick in the whole course of my 
life,” said Harriet, dimpling all over her face now with 
anticipation. 

“ I thought I’d discovered something to please you. 
The sea breezes will put color into those pale cheeks. 
Ponies, donkeys, governess carts will all be left be- 
hind, and for one long perfect week we shall coast 
round the Isle of Wight, and other parts of this per- 
fect country. What do you say? I have already men- 
tioned the matter to the others, and I find that they are, 
without a single exception, good sailors.” 

“ I will be well enough, whoever else isn’t,” said 
^Harriet, stoutly. It’ll be lovely, lovely! You know 
I have spent all my early days at the seaside.” 

“ Have you ? Then of course you are accustomed 
to yachting.” 

“ I am accustomed to going out in the fishing boats : 
I often did so at Yarmouth: I used to make great 
friends with the sailors.” 

“ Then that will be capital, my dear. Now I am 
leaving early to-morrow. You won’t guess where I 
am going, will you ? ” 

“How can I guess, Mr. Durrant?” 

“ To no less a place than Robina’s home.” 

“ Robina’s home,” said Harriet. She felt herself 

[183] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

turning red, and one of her hands which had been 
lying idle on her lap, clenched itself tightly. “ Why 
to Robina’s home ? ” she asked. 

“ That is just it. I have a little scheme in my head ; 
why should not I tell you? I have told her — why 
should not you also be in the secret ? ” 

“ Oh, please, please tell me ? ” said Harriet. “ I 
love secrets,” she added. 

“ Most girls do. Well, this is the state of things. 
You know that my first intention was to send Ralph 
back to Mrs. Burton’s school with you and the other 
school-mothers. He was to be primarily under 
Robina’s care, and the rest of you were of course to be 
good to him. Dear, kind Mrs. Burton had consented 
to the arrangement, and everything was going well, 
when, lo and behold ! I was obliged to change my 
plans.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Harriet : “ to change your plans — how ? 
why?” 

“ I will tell you why, dear Harriet, and I am sure 
you will sympathize with me. I know you have a great 
regard for my little boy, and I believe he returns your 
regard ; therefore anything connected with his future 
will be of interest to you. Mrs. Burton cannot re- 
ceive Ralph at her school as she at first promised to do. 
She will herself give you her reasons for this, but I 
need not trouble you about them at the present mo- 
ment. Suffice it to say that Ralph cannot go back 
to Abbeyfield, and therefore I have to make other ar- 
rangements for him.” 

“Yes;” said Harriet, in a breathless sort of voice. 
“ Dear Ralph ! He is such a sweet little boy. Have 
you made your arrangements, Mr. Durrant? ” 

“ I am going to South Africa early in October,” 
was his reply, “ and cannot take my dear little son 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


with me: he must remain in England. Now, this 
house is quite to my liking. It is large, and airy and 
well drained and not far from the seaside. I know a 
lady, a special friend of mine, who will come to look 
after Ralph, and he can have the best masters at East- 
bourne and a daily tutor who will come out here to in- 
struct him. But all these advantages are not sufficient. 
He must have a companion. There is in my opinion 
no companion so suitable for all that Ralph requires as 
Robina Starling ; and I am going to see her father to- 
morrow in order to make arrangements for her to re- 
main with him.” 

“ And not go back to Abbeyfield ? ” said Harriet. 

Her voice was low. It was getting dusk too, and 
Mr. Durrant could not very well see her face. 

“ Robina would not go back to school ? ” she re- 
peated. 

“ In that case, no ; but she would lose nothing there- 
by ; for I should make it a personal matter, and would 
see that her education was thoroughly finished at my 
expense. She is a clever girl, and I can give her not 
only the very best masters, to develop what talent 
she possesses, but would eventually send her to Girton, 
where I understand she greatly longs to go.” Harriet 
was quite silent. “ You approve, don’t you ? ” said Mr. 
Durrant, scarcely knowing why he asked the question. 

Harriet gave a little gasp. 

“ You are very, very good,” she said : “ you have 
done a great deal for the girl that Ralph likes best. 
Is the girl who is to stay with him while you are away 
to be the girl he likes best, or the girl you like best? 
Hitherto, it has been the girl he likes best. Is that 
to be the case still ? ” 

“ I hope so, indeed I trust that he will like Robina 
best.” 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Because you do,” said Harriet. 

‘‘Yes, Harriet,” said Mr. Durrant. “I like her; 
she is honest, and honorable. She has never, to my 
knowledge, done an underhand thing: I could not 
stand underhand ways in the companion who has to 
be so much in the society of my little son. I love 
honor before all things — honor and truth : they are the 
pillars in which the whole character must be raised to 
any sort of strength or perfection. I believe Robina 
to be both honorable and truthful.” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet : “ you would not let her have 
the charge of Ralph if she had not these qualities.” 

“ Certainly not : but she has. I will wish you good- 
night now. I hope you will be quite well on Monday 
evening jvhen I return from my visit to the Brown 
House.” 

Mr. Durrant left the room, and Harriet lay back in 
her deep, easy chair, lost in thought. Once again she 
said to herself: 

“ That horrid girl is about to supplant me. I won- 
der, oh, I wonder ! ” 

She thought long and hard. 


[186] 


CHAPTER VIII 


MR. DURRANT VISITS BROWN HOUSE 

Mr. Durrant arrived at the Brown House on Sun- 
day afternoon. It was a day when few visitors were 
expected. Mr. Starling, having gone to church in the 
morning, invariably spent the afternoon lying back in 
a cosy corner of the greenhouse, smoking and reading 
a Sunday newspaper. He was by no means an irre- 
ligious man, but he liked his ease on Sunday, being 
under the supposition that he worked extremely hard 
during the week days. Mrs. Starling spent Sunday 
afternoon lying down and imagining herself a little 
worse than usual. Miss Felicia sat in the drawing- 
room, and Violet and Rose played on the lawn. 

They were quite good little children and never made 
any unruly noise — that is, except when Robina was at 
home. Robina brought a disturbing element into their 
young lives: but now that she was gone, and Bo-peep 
was gone, the entire Starling family had settled down 
into their ordinary habits. 

The day was an intensely hot one, and when Mr. 
Durrant appeared on the scene, he stood still for a 
minute to wipe the moisture from his brow. 

“ Hallo, little ’un ! ” he said to Rose who, not at all 
shy, toddled up to him. 

“ What’s ’oo want, g’ate big man ? ” was her in- 
quiry. 

“ I want your father, or your mother, or your aunt,” 
was Malcolm Durrant’s reply. “ I want some one who 

[187] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


can tell me something. Now I know you can’t, be- 
cause you’re too small.” 

“ There’s my auntie in the drawing-room,” said 
Violet at that moment. Violet by no means wished 
Rose to monopolize the stranger. “ She’ll say ‘ Don’t ’ 
if you has mud on your boots : but you hasn’t, they is 
quite clean.” 

“ Only dusty,” said Rose. “ Let’s dust ’em.” 

She knelt down as she spoke, and, taking the skirt 
of her little white frock, began to remove the dust 
from the stranger’s boots. 

“ Don’t, Rose ! Rose, how dare you ! ” called a shrill 
voice from the drawing-room, and Miss Felicia made 
her appearance through the open window. “ How do 
you do, sir,” she said. “ I must apologize for my 
niece. Really, Rose, your conduct is disgraceful. Go 
away at once to the nursery and get your frock 
changed ; what a dreadful mess you are in ! ” 

“ Poor little one ! ” said Malcolm Durrant. “ She 
but did what her sex did before her for the Saviour of 
all the world. Forgive her, madam.” 

He spoke in a very courteous tone, and, raising his 
hat, exhibited a , 1 noble brow and features which at once 
puzzled Miss Felicia and caused her heart to beat. 

“Won’t' you come indoors, sir?” she said. 

“ And don’t * don’t ’ him, please auntie ! ” said 
Violet. 

But Miss Felicia, agitated, she knew not why, did 
not even hear her. She conducted the stranger into 
the little drawing-room. 

“ Sit down, sir,” she said. “ And now, may I ask 
your name. You have, of course, come to see my 
brother-in-law on business. I can call him in a mo- 
ment; but first, would you not like something to 
drink?” 


[188] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“Very much, indeed,” said the stranger. “The 
fact is, I was never in such a thirsty place in 
the whole course of my life. A cup of tea or — or 
lemonade or — or — water — in fact, anything except 
spirits.” 

“ Dear sir, I am glad you are a teetotaller.” 

“ Dear madam, I drink wine in moderation ; but that 
is neither here nor there. I should not like it at the 
present moment. You want to know my name ? Mal- 
colm Durrant. Your niece — for surely you are Miss 
Felicia Jennings — is at present honoring me by re- 
siding under my roof.” 

“ So you are the great traveler,” said Miss Felicia. 
She felt herself turning quite pale. “ Sir,” she said, 
in a low reverent tone, “ I honor you. It is a great, 
great privilege to have you under this roof. I will 
presently tell my brother-in-law and my sister of your 
arrival. My poor sister is a sad invalid; but to see 
you — I have not the slightest doubt — she will make an 
effort to come downstairs.” 

“ And I earnestly beg,” said Durrant, “ she will do 
nothing of the kind. My business can be confided to 
you, madam. You can acquaint your sister and your 
brother-in-law with my desires, and they can either 
accept or refuse. But first of all — your hospitality was 
very much to the fore, dear madam, a minute ago ; and 
I am terribly thirsty.” 

Never did Miss Felicia Jennings in the whole course 
of her life feel happier than now. She tripped eagerly 
from the room, knocking against a chair as she did so. 
In a few minutes, she conveyed in her own fair hands 
a large glass of cool lemonade to her guest. He drank 
it off to the last drop, put down the empty glass, and 
told Miss Felicia in the most courteous language that 
she was a good Samaritan. 

[189] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Ah ! my dear sir,” was her reply. “ Who would 
not be a good Samaritan to you ? ” 

Durrant settled himself comfortably in his easy 
chair. 

“ You have a nice little place here,” he said, “ and a 
pretty out-look. How many sweet and peaceful homes 
there are in England ! — and those two dear little maids 
to welcome me on the lawn. I only wish that they be- 
longed to my party of young people who are at present 
enjoying life at Sunshine Lodge.” 

“ They are too young to leave home at present,” 
said Miss Felicia; although I doubt not that being in 
your presence would do them a great deal of good. 
May I ask, my dear sir, how that precious little animal. 
Bo-peep, is progressing ? ” 

“ Bo-peep is, I believe, in admirable health, and so 
is Robina. You have not asked yet after the welfare 
of your niece.” 

“ Robina is a strong child : she never ails anything,” 
replied Miss Felicia. 

“ I am glad to be able to inform you that she re- 
mains in her normal health,” answered Durrant. 
“ And now for the purpose of this visit. I have, as 
you know, a little son.” 

“ I have heard of him ; a child after your own heart 
— in fact, your Benjamin.” 

“ My little son ; my only child,” said Durrant. “ He 
is young — not yet quite six years old. I do not care 
to send children of such a tender age to school. I 
have many schemes for his future while I, alas! am 
forced to part from him, and my final desire is to 
leave him in his present home with a trustworthy lady 
whom I know, and who was my late dear wife's re- 
lation — and with one young girl to be his constant 
companion. The girl I particularly wish to be with 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Ralph during my absence is, madam, your niece, 
Robina Starling.” 

“ Indeed ! ” said Miss Felicia. It was on the tip of 
her tongue to say, ‘ Don’t/ but the word did not 
come. 

“ You look surprised,” said the traveler. 

“ Well,” said Miss Felicia, “ I know you admire 
Robina, or you would not have given her that pony in 
such an extraordinary and munificent way. But 
surely, she is a little — a little rough — if I may so ex- 
press it.” 

Her’s is an upright character: she is upright, hon- 
est, truthful. My boy cares for her, and she cares for 
him: he cannot be under better influence. In short, 
if her father and mother consent, I want to make them 
an offer with regard to their child, Robina.” 

“ And what is that offer, Mr. Durrant ? ” 

“ I want to take her from her present school, mak- 
ing arrangements with Mrs. Burton, so that Mr. Star- 
ling may be put to no expense by her transfer. I 
want to give her all the possible advantages of a good 
education. These can partly be supplied by Mrs. 
Temple, who is a very polished and accomplished lady, 
and partly by masters and mistresses who visit East- 
bourne weekly from London. Eventually, if she so 
desires it, I would pay all her expenses at Girton or 
Newnham.” 

“ It is a great chance for Robina : to be honest with 
you,” continued Miss Felicia, ** we sent her from home 
because she was a little noisy, and upset her poor dear 
mother, who is a sad invalid ; but she is a good girl on 
the whole.” 

“ I find her an excellent girl : I like her very 
much.” 

“ Well, sir,” said Miss Felicia ; “ I thank you for 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


what you have told me. I will now go and acquaint 
my brother-in-law with the fact that he is deeply hon- 
ored by your visit to our humble roof. ,, 

“ Don’t put it in that way, I beg of you, madam. 
Try, please, and remember that when I am at home I 
may be just an ordinary individual, and in no sense 
wish to be lionized. You will oblige me by bearing 
this fact in mind.” 

“ I will endeavor to do so,” said Miss Felicia. She 
left the room, nodding many times to herself. 

“ Now he is under our roof — I have looked at him : 
I have heard his voice. I wonder if he will write his 
name in my birthday book. I should so prize it. I 
have not had one real celebrity to write in my book 
yet. Malcolm Durrantl How that great name would 
stand out amongst the inferior signatures of the peo- 
ple in our small neighborhood. Oh, what a chance 
for Robina ! Of course she will go. And her expenses 
lifted from her father’s head. He will grab at it. I 
can’t imagine myself what such a great man as Mal- 
colm Durrant finds in the child. Still, these great peo- 
ple are very odd now and then in their preferences. I 
must go to wake Edward. Dear, dear! what a lot of 
sleep that man does require ! ” 

She burst open the greenhouse door. 

“ Edward ; how you are snoring ! Do rouse your- 
self. Who do you think is in the drawing-room?” 

“ Dear me, Felicia ! How can I tell,” replied Ed- 
ward Starling, rubbing his eyes and looking at his 
sister-in-law in a dazed way. “ You know perfectly 
well that I don’t see visitors on Sunday. It is my one 
day of rest after a week of toil.” 

“ A week of toil, indeed ! Why, you do nothing. 
But rouse yourself now, if you don’t want your child 
to lose her golden chance in life. There is no less a 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


person waiting for you in the drawing-room than the 
great traveler, Malcolm Durrant ! ” 

Now the fame of this very great person had pene- 
trated even to Edward Starling’s ears, and he roused 
himself at the news, fixing his eyes in some amazement 
on his sister-in-law. 

“ You must be dreaming,” he said. “ It is quite im- 
possible that Durrant should come here.” 

“ But he has come here ! It is about Robina ; he 
wants to settle her in life, to do everything for her. 
You had best go and clinch the bargain. What he 
sees in her is more than I can tell. If I had my way, 
and could speak honestly to the poor dear man, I 
would say 4 Don’t ’ fast enough. But there — these 
geniuses always take strange fancies — do let me pull 
your collar down, Edward, and smooth that long lock 
of your front hair. It looks so queer half hanging 
down your back. Now then, you look better. Go in : 
make yourself agreeable. I will follow in a few 
minutes just to see that you don’t make a fool of your- 
self.” 


[193] 


M 


CHAPTER IX 


A DISCOVERY 

Malcolm Durr ant might be a great traveler, and 
doubtless was ; but all the same, Mr. Starling felt an- 
noyed at being disturbed in his Sunday nap. Great 
people did not raise enthusiasm within his breast: he 
believed in them, of course, and would have been quite 
interested to hear some of the said Malcolm Durrant’s 
adventures, had that gentleman been kind enough to 
tell them. But on a hot August afternoon, sleep was 
more refreshing than anything else, and he was not in 
the best of humors, when he entered the room where 
his guest was waiting for him. 

Robina — Something was about to happen which 
would be to Robina’s advantage. As a matter of fact, 
she was his favorite child. He had a much better 
time when she was at home than when she was at 
school. She suited him, as he himself expressed it, 
down to the ground. She “ ragged ” him, as she called 
it. She was not at all afraid of him. She made him 
laugh. She encouraged him to be more noisy at meals 
than Miss Felicia thought was seemly in the house with 
a great invalid. He had yielded to Miss Felicia’s repre- 
sentations that school was necessary for Robina. She 
had gone to school, and some one else had discovered 
her virtues, for she had come back accompanied by a 
very valuable adjunct — no less a thing than a live 
pony, a spirited animal which could gallop and canter 
and trot and look all that was bright and intelligent. 
This animal, provided with a side-saddle and attend- 
[ 194 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ant groom whose wages were paid by some one else 
was a great addition to the menage at the Brown 
House. When Robina went away to Sunshine Lodge, 
accompanied by the pony and the groom and the side- 
saddle, Edward Starling had missed his child and her 
belongings a great deal. He wondered what else was 
to be expected of him, and nodded curtly now to the 
stranger as he entered the room. 

“ Glad to see you, of course, sir,” he said. “ How 
is Robina ? ” 

“ Very well, thank you,” said Durrant. 

“ You are a great person, Mr. Durrant,” said Star- 
ling : “ that is, you have made a great name for your- 
self. But be that as it may, I hold with the words, ‘ A 
man’s a man for a’ that.’ You are a man, sir, and I 
am another, and Robina is my child. Now, my sister- 
in-law, who between ourselves is a right good sort but 
a bit of a goose, considers you not a man, but an arch- 
angel, with a halo round you. Now I see neither the 
archangel nor the halo, but a person who at present 
is enjoying the society of my pleasing young daughter. 
I understand that you have come to say something to 
me about her. What, Mr. Durrant, may that some- 
thing be ? ” 

“ A very out-spoken something,” replied Durrant. 
“ I am exceedingly glad, Mr. Starling, that you speak 
to me as you do. I am not an archangel, and I wear 
no halo. I am an ordinary man. Circumstances have 
placed me, on several occasions, in positions of ex- 
treme danger where, if I had not used an Englishman’s 
pluck, I should have been worsted in the battle. I 
only did, sir, what you or any other man would have 
done under the circumstances. But now — to come to 
your child. I want to know if you. will grant me a 
very great favor.” 


[19s] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Well, let us hear it, let us hear it,” said Starling. 
“ But why should we sit moped up in this fusty room ? 
Let us come out into the garden and enjoy our pipes 
together : what do you say ? ” 

“ I shall be only too delighted,” said Durrant. 

The two men immediately left the drawing-room. 
Miss Felicia, from a sheltered corner of her sister's 
bedroom, watched them as they passed up and down. 

“ He has, my dear sister,” she remarked, the most 
honorable carriage of the head: it is but to look at 
that man to see what he is. You, dear, at least, won’t 
throw any obstacle in the way of Robina’s good luck : 
all her life long it will be remembered in her favor 
that she was selected by Malcolm Durrant to be 
the companion of his little boy during his own ab- 
sence.” 

“ I am not likely to put an obstacle in the way,” an- 
swered Mrs. Starling, “ seeing that I have small voice 
in any matters. Where you don’t rule me, — Felicia, — 
my husband does ; and where my husband doesn’t, the 
little children do; and where the little children don’t, 
Robina does; and where Robina doesn’t, the servants 
do. I am ruled by everyone ; I am the most ruled out 
person on earth ; I have not a bit of color or opinion 
left. When Bo-peep was here, I felt a little happier 
than I had done for some time, because the animal 
seemed to like me without wanting in the very least to 
get the upper hand of me. But there, it cannot be 
helped.” 

“ Don’t talk any more in that silly vein,” was Miss 
Felicia’s remark. “ Each day after day as it goes, 
you make things quite disagreeable and contrary. I 
wanted to dress you nicely and bring you downstairs 
to tea, so that you might have the privilege of con- 
versing yourself with the distinguished traveler; but 
,[i 9 6] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


really, what with hysterics in view, I doubt if it would 
not be better to leave you upstairs/’ 

“ I am not going to have any hysterics,” said poor 
Mrs. Starling. “ I have passed all that. Perhaps 
Robina rules me rather less than the rest of you ; but 
I should like to see the man who wants to be a sort of 
father to her. I can’t imagine why she should leave 
her own father ; but you all think otherwise.” 

“ We all think otherwise,” retorted Miss Felicia 
with a sort of snort ; “ when golden chances do come 
in life, as a rule one isn’t such a fool as to throw them 
away. But now, my dear Agnes, your purple silk 
dress with the real lace collar will look exceedingly 
nice, and it will do you no harm to get into it, even 
if you don’t come downstairs.” 

While Mrs. Starling was being dressed, the men 
were having their smoke in the garden. Durrant 
made his proposal quite plainly before Mr. Starling. 

“ I shall be absent for a year,” he said. “ During 
that time, I want your daughter to be my little son’s 
companion ; I, of course, paying all expenses. At the 
end of the year, she can, if you wish it, go back to Mrs. 
Burton, and continue her education in that most ex- 
cellent school, or she can still remain under my roof, 
looked after by my friend and relation, Mrs. Temple, 
and given the best possible instruction that Eastbourne 
and the neighborhood of London can supply. When 
she is old enough, I will myself send her to Newnham 
or Girton ; or if she does not care for that sort of edu- 
cation I will give her two or three years’ foreign 
travel. It will be a great pleasure to me to do all this 
for the girl who helps my little boy during a rather 
lonely period of his life. I offer these advantages to 
your daughter because, in the first place, Ralph likes 
her better than any other girl he has ever seen, and in 
[ 197 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


the second place, I respect and love her on her own ac- 
count During the holidays she will of course spend 
the time with you, unless you wish it otherwise.” 

“ There is no use whatever in that,” said Starling, 
interrupting Mr. Durrant’s remarks in a somewhat 
gruff voice. “ Robina is a good girl, and suits me un- 
commonly well, but she does not get on with the ladies 
here. Can’t tell why, I am sure — too outspoken — 
doesn’t suit Felicia Jennings. Felicia, between you 
and me, is somewhat of a bore — an excellent creature, 
but too much ' don’t ' about her. Robina has got a 
high spirit, and she can’t stand it. That is why she 
went to school. Believe me, I didn’t want her to go: 
I miss the girl uncommonly. She takes after me — a 
little rough, you know.” 

“ I haven’t found her rough,” said Mr. Durrant. 

“ Well, perhaps you would not call it so ; but that is 
what the women here say. They have dinned it into 
my ear till at last I have got to believe it. Robina is 
so rough, they say, and so noisy, and so like a tom- 
boy.” 

“ I need not tell you, my dear sir, that I found the 
child spirited and agreeable and an excellent com- 
panion. What I admire about her so much is her out- 
spoken honesty and her truthfulness,” said Mr. Dur- 
rant. 

"Well, yes; she is all that: I have never found her 
out in a lie, never, although, to be sure, many a person 
might prevaricate a trifle to get away from the * don’ts ’ 
of that old woman, Felicia. I am agreeable to your 
proposal, Mr. Durrant: you can carry it out with my 
consent, and I have no doubt my poor wife will also 
fall in with your views : but I leave you, sir, to tackle 
the ladies yourself, for I am no match for them. 
Women are always slippery sort of creatures, hard to 
[i 9 8] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


circumvent, sir, and mighty knowing. It is my be- 
lief they have twice the brains of us men. A woman 
can squeeze herself out of a corner where a man would 
be simply trapped. Now you know my opinion. 
Robina’s a good girl, and she may as well stay at Sun- 
shine Lodge for a year as at Mrs. Burton’s for a year. 
As to the holidays; if you would invite me to spend 
part of the time with her at Sunshine Lodge, it would 
save a lot of ructions ; but I don’t make that a sine qua 
non. I am agreeable to any arrangement that suits 
you and the ladies.” 

“ Thank you ; you are very kind,” said Mr. Durrant. 

The conversation languished a little after that, al- 
though Mr. Starling tried to keep it lively by expatia- 
ting on Bo-peep’s many excellent points, and describ- 
ing how truly his wife loved the little animal. Eventu- 
ally, a small, clear voice interrupted the conversation, 
and Violet, dressed in her best and most starchy white 
frock, appeared on the scene. She announced in a 
prim little voice that tea was ready. 

“ You is to come in, and I may hold oo’s hand,” 
said Violet, giving hers at once with the utmost confi- 
dence to the stranger. 

The men immediately entered the house, accom- 
panied by the little maid. Rose was within, looking 
rather tearful, and seated close to her mother. 

“ I is not to ’peak, but I is ’onging to,” was her first 
remark as she fixed her cherubic eyes on the stranger's 
face. 

“ Don’t, Rose ! Keep silent,” said her aunt. “ Mr. 
Durrant, may I present you to my dear sister, Robina’s 
mother.” 

Mr. Durrant found a place close to Rose. He pres- 
ently transferred this small person to his own knee, 
where she became radiantly happy, and then he en- 
[ 199 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


tered into conversation with Mrs. Starling. Mrs. 
Starling, without in the least intending it, managed to 
convey to him the fact that she considered Robina a 
very rough, disobedient child, whom of course she 
loved, but to whom discipline was sadly necessary. 

Mrs. Starling was a very sweet looking woman, 
notwithstanding her illness, and Durrant became in- 
stantly much interested in her, and asked her a good 
many questions with regard to Robina. Finally, it 
was arranged that the momentous question of the 
little girl’s becoming Malcolm Durrant’s guest during 
his absence was to be deferred until the week after that 
spent by the entire happy party of school-mothers on 
the yacht ; and Durrant promised to write to the Star- 
lings on the subject at the end of that period. 

He arrived back at Sunshine Lodge early on Mon- 
day morning, and then informed the different children 
that the weather report being excellent they would 
start on the cruise early on the following day. Noth- 
ing could exceed the delight of all the little school- 
mothers, and amongst them, no one was more cheerful 
than Harriet Lane. She had quite recovered her nor- 
mal health, and was to all appearance in the highest of 
spirits. 

That evening, she and Jane had a short conversation 
together. 

“Jane,” said Harriet; “I mean, if possible, to be 
the girl left in charge of Ralph during his father’s 
absence. I know quite well all that has happened with 
regard to Robina. Mr. Durrant wants Robina to stay 
with Ralph here; and he went to see her people, be- 
cause he told me so; but all the same, matters won’t 
be quite settled until Ralph himself arranges the mat- 
ter. Now Ralph wishes for me, not Robina, and I 
think Ralph’s wishes will in the end carry the day.” 

[200] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

Jane looked somewhat unhappy. After a pause, she 
said : 

“ Nothing could be more delightful than our life 
here, and I am looking forward to our time on board 
the yacht more than anything else in all the world ; but 
you manage somehow always to give an unpleasant 
tone to things. I thought after the fright you got with 
regard to Ralph when we were at school that you 
would let him alone in the future; but you are just as 
bad as ever.” 

“ I am,” said Harriet ; “ I am worse than ever. I 
am not very happy at home, and I have not the ad- 
vantages that Robina has.” 

Robina has one thing that you have not,” said Jane, 
stoutly. “ She really and truly loves little children. 
Don’t you remember how sweet she was to Curly 
Pate ? She has a way about her that all little children 
like : I suppose it is partly because she has got two 
little sisters of her own. Now, you do not care for 
children — not in your heart of hearts.” 

u I don’t care for the ordinary child, and I certainly 
began by not loving Ralph at all,” was Harriet’s re- 
sponse ; “ but certainly I do care for him now better 
than I ever did for any other child. If I were left here, 
I should be good to him, and he would be happy. But 
that is not the point. I want the advantages that Mr. 
Durrant offers — oh yes! Robina can keep her pony; 
that wonderful Bo-peep can go back to the Brown 
House and delight them all, and Robina can ride Bo- 
peep in the holidays. I don’t grudge her her pony, 

but I do grudge her Ralph. Why I oh, but you 

don’t know about that.” 

She stopped abruptly. 

“ You may as well tell me,” said Jane. “ I guessed 
—I think we all guessed that something happened that 
[201] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


day when you were so horribly cross and would not 
come with us to the sea-shore. You got poor little 
Ralph into no end of mischief that day, or why should 
you both have been taken ill that evening ?” 

“ I will tell you, Jane,” said Harriet, if you will 
promise never, never to let it out to anybody else.” 

There was a girl lying in a hammock close by. 
That girl was Robina. She had been fast asleep. The 
day was hot, and she was tired from much exercise, 
for Mr. Durrant’s parties never did let the grass grow 
under their feet. But she awoke now to find that Har- 
riet and Jane were standing a few feet away. Her 
impulse was to say, “ I am here.” The next moment, 
she would have uttered the words, but, hearing her 
own name spoken, arrested the speech that was on her 
lips. She did not know why, but a swift and horrible 
temptation came over her. She bent a little forward, 
and, unperceived by the two who were standing two or 
three feet off, could hear every word that was spoken. 

“ You will never tell,” began Harriet. 

“ No, no,” said Jane, a trifle impatiently; “if I 
wanted to begin to tell all the things you have con- 
fided in me, I’d have a pretty bad time of it. You 
know you have always plotted and planned against 
Robina. Well, what did you do against her that 
day?” 

“ The only thing I could do, and that was not much. 
You know all about the gipsies, and my following 
Ralph and bringing him home and my real sorrow, 
and my giving Ralph up to Robina; and you know 
how Robina won the pony ? ” 

“Yes,” said Jane; “I know that story, I am per- 
fectly sick of it,” she added. 

“ Well, that story has somehow come to an end, but 
another story has begun. It is this: I will tell you 
[ 202 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

what really did happen. I was, oh ! in such a rage ; 
and I wouldn’t ride the horrid donkey, and you all 
went off without me, only Ralph — he stayed.” 

“He is a dear little boy,” said Jane. “He did not 
want to stay, I can tell you ; but he could not stand the 
thought of your being left all alone, so he asked his 
father if he might stay, and Mr. Durrant said, ‘ Of 
course.’ Mr. Durrant never makes much of people 
being self-sacrificing; he seems to think it only right. 
Well, anyhow, he stayed.” 

“ He did,” said Harriet. “ In some ways he was 
rather a little nuisance. He talked to me and I talked 
to him ; and he — he — told me that he loved Robina the 
best.” 

The girl in the hammock gave a quick catch in her 
breath, then a sigh of relief, but too faint to reach the 
girls who were talking eagerly in the shrubbery be- 
low. 

“ He said he loved her best ; and you know that sort 
of little chap,” said Harriet, “ he never, never could 
tell a lie — that is quite outside his category.” 

“ Oh quite, dear little man ! ” said Jane. 

“ Well, I wanted some water-lilies ; and what do you 
think? I tried to pull some, but I couldn’t, and he — 
he crept along a bough. I could have prevented him, 
but I didn’t, for a thought got into my head.” 

“What was that?” 

“ I knew quite well that if he crept along that 
bough — that willow bough that hangs over the round 
pond, that it wouldn’t hold his weight, and that he 
would fall in.” 

“You knew it!” said Jane, gasping, “and you let 
him do it? ” 

“ I did. I let him do it on purpose. He didn't see 
me, He wanted to get the water-lilies for me, and he 
[203] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


thought he would manage — oh, so fine ! and I watched 
behind a shrub.’’ 

“ Oh, Harriet!” 

“ Well, my dear ; you needn’t go on like that. The 
bough dipped lower and lower, and Ralph, he is not 
a bit frightened — you know he never was, he is as 
plucky as his father. I did feel inclined to say, 4 oh, 
do go back, Ralph ’ ” 

“ And you didn’t say the words, Harriet ? ” 

“ No, no ; you goose, I didn’t ; well, anyhow, he 
tumbled into the water where it was pretty deep too; 
and he would have sunk, poor little man, for there are 
such a lot of weeds about just there — only of course 
I was close by, and I rushed down to the edge of the 
pond and flung myself in, and swam out to him. I 
saved him — oh, it was quite easy ; he was not even un- 
conscious when I got him out of the water; only of 
course we were both drenched to the skin.” 

“ I don’t understand,” said Jane. “ It seemed a 
horrid mean thing to do, and you speak as though it 
was something fine.” 

“ Ralph thinks it awfully fine. You see, he takes if 
in this way. He thinks he tried to get the lilies for me 
at the risk of his life.” 

“ That’s true enough,” said Jane. 

“ And that I saved him at the risk of mine.” 

“ Which is not a bit true,” said Jane, “ for you can 
swim like a duck anywhere.” 

“ Ah, but Ralph does not know that, and there is no 
one who will dare to tell him. We both got ill after- 
wards, and I was more ill than Ralph, because I was 
longer in my dripping wet clothes; and now Ralph 
loves me much, much better than Robina, for you see 
I saved his life.” 

“ Oh ! I think you are a horrid girl ! ” said Jane. 

[204] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“Do you? do you? Well, perhaps you won't think 
me quite so horrid when I get you invited here, say, 
for Christmas, and when we have a jolly, jolly time, 
with that old Mr. Durrant safe in Africa and Ralph 
just obliged to put up with us. I’ll always be good to 
him, you may be sure of that, but I shan’t molly-coddle 
him : I’ll look after number one, see if I don’t.” 

“ All the same,” said Jane, “ Robina is the one who 
will be invited to take care of Ralph, and you haven’t 
a chance.” 

“ I know better,” said Harriet. “ I have my own 
plans. You will have to help me, for if you don’t, I 
won’t give you that five pounds that my god-mother 
allows me on each of my birthdays.” 

“ Five pounds! ” said Jane, with a gasp. 

“ Yes ; if I am allowed to stay as Ralph’s companion, 
I will give you that money this year. Think what that 
will mean.” 

Jane was absolutely silent. The girls went away 
from under the shadow of the thick plantation, and 
walked like any other innocent little pair in the sun- 
shine. Robina, after a long time, crept out of her ham- 
mock and went to the house. She had a dreadful feel- 
ing at her heart. She must be alone. She reached her 
bedroom and locked herself in. 


CHAPTER X 


HARRIET PLEADS 

Half an hour afterwards, Robina went downstairs. 
It was a perfect summer’s afternoon. She felt she 
could not stand the house. She went out. The great 
heat of the day was over. The stars were beginning 
to come out in the sky. They could hardly be seen as 
yet for there was too much light, but by-and-by they 
would shine brilliantly. 

Robina raised her head to the sky, and wondered in 
a vague, girlish sort of fashion what sort of life it was 
up there, and if God really understood people, and if, 
in God’s other worlds, things were right, not wrong. 
She felt depressed as she had never been depressed be- 
fore. 

Ralph was playing eagerly with the three Amber- 
leys. He looked a bonny, happy little boy. The rich 
color had returned to his cheeks, he had lost that 
slight look of delicacy which had characterized him 
for a short time after his illness. 

His illness! Robina knew about it now. She had 
guessed about it before, but now, she knew. Those 
wet clothes which the maid servant had shown her, 
were explained. The feverish chill which both Ralph 
and Harriet had suffered from was also explained. 
Everything was made clear to Robina. She felt her- 
self almost shuddering. Such wickedness! such de- 
ceit! such a deeply laid plot to steal the affections of 
one little boy seemed too horrible to poor Robina! 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

She felt she could scarcely go on in her present posi- 
tion. 

“ Harriet is too clever for me,” she thought. “ I 
ought to tell Mr. Durrant that I listened: I ought to 
explain to him what really happened. Oh, what — what 
am I to do ! Ralph of course loves Harriet best now. 
He naturally thinks her conduct heroic. He is the 
sort of boy to be enraptured with a deed of that sort ; 
and she did it all on purpose — on purpose — and just 
to win his love from me. Oh, how am I to bear it! 
Why did I ever know Ralph ? Why was I ever sent to 
school. I was happy enough at home. There were 
troubles, of course. There was poor Aunt Felicia, 
and there was mother — darling mother, who never did 
understand me, much as I cared for her. But all the 
same, compared to this life, things were peaceful 
enough/' 

“ Hullo, Robina ! ” said a voice at that moment. 
“ A penny for your thoughts, my dear ! ” 

Robina turned swiftly. Her honest gray eyes 
flashed, then grew a little dim. Mr. Durrant came up 
to her. 

“ Do you want to walk about with me for a little, my 
child, or would you rather I left you by yourself ? " 

“ I will walk with you, of course/' said Robina — 
“ that is, if you care to be with me. But," she added, 
“ I am not a good companion to-night." 

“ And why not? is anything wrong?" 

“ There is something wrong, and I cannot tell it 
you. Please don’t ask me." 

“ Of course I won’t, my dear girl. In a little com- 
pany of this sort there are sure to be small jars, but 
what I feel about your character is this — that there is 
nothing mean about you. You naturally have your 
faults. I could imagine, for instance, that you were 
[207] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

exceedingly high-spirited — too high-spirited at times. 
I could also imagine that you yourself needed a little 
discipline in life.” 

“ I do,” said Robina, suddenly. “ I need everything 
— every sort of training. You don’t know, you can’t 
realize, what a wild sort of heart I have. It seems to 
be too difficult at times to control. I thought when I 
was at school, and when I was given the charge of 
Ralph, and when I won that dear pony, that I could 
never know unhappiness again ; and then when you 
asked me here, I felt sure that I could never know un- 
happiness again.” 

“ And you did know it once again ? ” said Mr. Dur- 
rant, looking kindly and yet with anxiety at the girl. 

“ Yes,” she said, nodding her head, and tears filling 
her eyes as she turned away. 

“ Listen to me, Robina. There are some things 
about you that appeal to me very forcibly. I know 
you are not perfect. I have been to your home and 
have heard the opinion of your father and aunt, and 
of your mother with regard to you. They have given 
their true opinions. Your father admires those things 
in you which try your mother and aunt very much. 
But I, my dear child, take you on my own valuation. 
I see in you one inestimable quality. I do not believe 
under any circumstances you would tell me a lie. 
That, to me, is the unpardonable sin. A girl who 
could do anything deceitful would be an impossible 
companion for my little Ralph. I do not believe you 
would be that.” 

Robina was quite silent. Her silence, and the ex- 
treme moodiness of her appearance, rather surprised 
Mr. Durrant. 

“As a matter of fact,” he said, after a moment’s 
pause, “ if I am to be able to carry out my plan, which 
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THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


I am exceedingly desirous to do, I shall have to choose 
between you and Harriet as a companion for my little 
boy. All my inclinations tend towards you, Robina; 
but, on the other hand, I have been speaking to Ralph, 
and Ralph seems to wish me to choose Harriet as his 
school-mother during the year of my absence. Now 
the wishes of so young a child cannot altogether guide 
me in this matter, and I do not mean to come to a 
decision for at least a week on the subject. During 
that time, I shall watch you both — not obtrusively in 
any way, but still with a keen observation ; for a great 
deal depends on the choice which I am forced to make. 
I am, to tell you the truth, a good deal puzzled at 
Ralph’s preference for Harriet, and feel, without be- 
ing able to lay my hand on the mystery, that there is 
a mystery with regard to it, and that Harriet has a 
power over him which I am not permitted to know 
anything about.” 

Mr. Durrant paused and looked at Robina. She was 
quite silent. 

“ It would,” said the traveler, after a long pause, 
“ be a very, very serious thing — in fact, it would be 
exceedingly wrong for me to entrust my boy to the 
companionship of a girl who was not truthful, who had 
the elements of deceit in her composition ; and I do be- 
seech of you, Robina, not to consider yourself in the 
matter, but if you know anything against Harriet, to 
confide that something to me.” 

“ You must not ask me,” said Robina, suddenly. 
“ I do not say I know anythmg; she is my school com- 
panion. She is clever; she is not cleverer than I am, 
but she is undoubtedly clever. You never can tell why 
a person cares for another. Ralph was fond of Har- 
riet when he was at school, then he turned to me be- 
cause poor Harriet was tempted to take him away to 
N [209] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

visit a friend of hers — but you know all about that 
story.” * 

“ Yes, I know all about it, and about poor Harriet’s 
subsequent repentance. The incident has, therefore, 
quite faded from my mind, and cannot influence me in 
my present decision in the very least.” 

“ Of course not,” said Robina. “ Well, I cannot 
tell you any more.” 

“ I am much puzzled,” said Mr. Durrant, “ and 
your manner to-night is the reverse of reassuring.” 

He left Robina a few minutes afterwards, and she 
walked by herself for a short time. She was just 
going back to the house when a hand was laid on her 
arm, and a girl looked eagerly into her face. 

“ So you were talking to him?” 

“ What do you mean ? ” said Robina. She almost 
flung Harriet’s hand aside. 

“ I have discovered something,” said Harriet. Har- 
riet’s face was absolutely white. It looked curious and 
almost dreadful in the light caused by the moon which 
was now rising. “ It was Jane who found out,” she 
said “ You were in the hammock all the time. You 
heard us; you listened; you are an eavesdropper. 
Have you told Mr. Durrant what I said to Jane? ” 

“ No,” replied Robina, in a low tone. 

“ But you did listen ? ” 

“ I did : I was in the hammock. How did you find 
out?” 

“ We found your handkerchief on the ground when 
we were passing a few moments afterwards; and you 
left your book behind you. Your book was in the 
hammock ; your handkerchief on the ground ; you 
'dare not deny it; you heard every word.” 

“ I heard every word,” said Robina. 

“ Then what do you mean to do ? ” said Harriet. 

[210] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Nothing,” replied Robina. 

“ Nothing?” said Harriet. “ That is so like you. 
You mean to give up your golden chance?” 

Robina folded her hands. She stood and faced 
Harriet. 

“ If I can keep straight, I will,” she said — “ if by 
any means it is possible for me to keep straight in 
the company of a girl like you, I will do so. I be- 
lieve, hard as it may seem, that that would be better 
for me in the long run even than spending a whole 
year with Ralph.” 

“ Do you indeed think so ? ” said Harriet. She 
spoke eagerly. “ In that case, Robina, you can help 
me.” 

“ No,” said Robina, starting back. 

“ Don’t be silly,” said Harriet. “ Come down this 
path, no one will hear us; we must talk. On board 
the yacht, there will be so little opportunity, but here 
we are alone and together. The choice lies between 
you and me. Now, you think you want all that Mr. 
Durrant is about to offer, but, compared to me, you 
don’t want it at all. My home, compared to yours, 
is, oh ! so rough ; and my people are oh ! so poor ! You 
don’t know, perhaps, that I am supported at Mrs. Bur- 
ton’s school by an aunt who grudges every penny of 
the money she spends on me. To be educated by a 
man like that, to be able to live here until I am quite 
grown up — oh, it would make such a difference ! 
You don’t want these advantages as badly as I want 
them. Give up your chance, you have but to help 
me with Ralph. He loves me better than you now ; 
you have but to say a few words to Mr. Durrant, and 
the deed is done.” 

“ And what words are those ? ” said Robina. 

“ Tell him what you think about me.” 

[211] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ What I think ? ” said Robina. 

“ Yes, yes, yes! Don’t you understand? You 
haven’t said anything yet — I mean, you haven’t be- 
trayed me ? ” 

“ I haven’t.” 

“ Well, his great idea is that Ralph should be under 
the care of a truthful girl. Make out to him that I am 
the most truthful girl, the most honorable, the most 
upright in all the world.” 

“ Sell my soul, in fact?” said Robina. She turned 
and faced her companion. “ O Harriet ! How I de- 
spise you ! I tell you what I will do. I will give up 
this whole thing. I will tell Mr. Durrant that I won’t 
be Ralph’s companion; that I prefer to go back to 
Mrs. Burton’s school, and to take my chance there; 
that I can have nothing further to do with Ralph, 
that I can tell him what I know about you, and he can 
choose Rose Amberley, or Vivian, or Patience Chet- 
wold, or one of the other girls as Ralph’s school- 
mother. When I put you out of court, I shall put my- 
self out of court. Oh, yes ; that is what I will do. 
You are just dreadful, Harriet, dreadful.” 

“ You won’t dare to do such a thing,” said Harriet. 
“ You must not ; oh, I beseech of you ! ” Harriet’s 
whole tone altered. “ Robina, I was only joking. 
Oh, please, please, please don’t betray me. Of course, 
I will do nothing, only don’t betray me. Let us have 
our chance, let us both be aboveboard: probably Mr. 
Durrant and Ralph will choose you, and if they do, 
I will promise not to say a word.” 

“ But you will have nothing to say,” replied Robina, 
in some astonishment. 

“ That is true ; but oh ! do nothing, nothing until 
the week is up ! ” 

“ You distract me,” said Robina. “ I want to go to 
[212] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

him now — at once. He thinks me truthful; perhaps 
I am; I have been up to the present. Now it seems 
that, knowing what I know — knowing that you did 

that thing with regard to the pond ” 

“ Oh, hush!” said Harriet. 

“ — That I ought to tell him. It lies on my con- 
science : I am most miserable ! ” 

“ Well, at least promise that you will say nothing 
until we have been on board the yacht and the time 
there is over.” 

Harriet argued. Robina pleaded ; but in spite of 
herself, the girl who was quite straight, who had no 
crooked thoughts, whose one desire was to do to 
others as she would be done by, was no match for the 
girl who was deceitful and intensely selfish. In the 
end, Robina was forced by her companion to give the 
promise that she would say nothing until the week 
was up. 


[213] 


CHAPTER XI 


ON BOARD THE “ SEA-GULL ” 

The next day dawned gloriously, and soon after ten 
o’clock the entire party were on board the pretty yacht 
which was known by the name of the “ Sea-Gull.” 
She had been hired by Mr. Durrant for the occasion, 
and was as charming a sea home as any girls could 
live in. The eight girls who now took possession of 
the pretty little cabins and who ran up and down the 
“ companion ” stairs and walked on the deck, and 
disported themselves so happily with the sea breezes 
blowing on their cheeks, and the white sails of the 
yacht fluttering in the breeze had never known a more 
enjoyable time than that first day on board the “ Sea- 
Gull.” 

The “ Sea-Gull,” like a large white bird, skimmed 
lightly over the water. The girls were all excellent 
sailors. The sky was cloudless. Mr. Durrant seemed 
absolutely to have recovered his serene good humor. 
Ralph was in the highest spirits, and even the school- 
mothers were so absorbed in their new surroundings 
that they had no time for trouble or care. 

It was after dinner, on the first evening of their so- 
journ on board the “ Sea-Gull ” that Mr. Durrant, 
rising from his place at the head of the table, spoke 
to his little party. 

“ Now, my children,” he said, “ we have entered on 
a week which I hope will remain long in the memories 
of each and all of you — a week which it will be my 
endeavor to make one of pure and perfect happiness. 

[214] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


There is no time like youth for the enjoyment of such. 
As we get older, we cannot quite get away from our 
cares, however hard we try to do so ; but when we are 
young, we are meant to be like the young birds and 
the young lambs and the young puppy dogs and the 
young kittens — all gaiety and sunshine, and lightness 
of heart. I have on board this yacht with me, a crew 
and an excellent sea-worthy captain and a first mate 
and all the rest, and I also have nine young people who 
none of them exceed twelve years of age. This ex- 
pedition is entirely carried out for the sake of one 
little boy and his eight school-mothers, and I trust, 
therefore, we shall have a very jolly time. 

“ On the night of our return to Sunshine Lodge, I 
shall have a very important decision to announce, but 
in the meantime, my children, let us forget all about 
it; let us be happy while we may; let us banish dull 
care; let us be, from the oldest to the youngest, each 
a truly happy child at heart.” 

“ Oh, yes,” said Robina’s voice. 

The others looked round rather startled when she 
spoke. She was wearing a brown holland frock, 
which Aunt Felicia had made for her, and which was 
not exactly becoming, but nothing could take from 
the bonny expression of her open face, and her very 
words brought comfort to Mr. Durrant’s heart. 

“ That girl is the girl for me,” he said to himself. 
“ Who would compare her to Harriet Lane?” But 
then he noticed — and he gave a quick sigh — that 
Ralph’s little hand was locked in Harriet’s, and that 
he was standing close to the tall, thin girl. 

Soon afterwards, the entire party went on deck, 
and Ralph, after sitting up for some time, was obliged 
to go down to the pretty cabin which he shared with 
his father. 


[ 215 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Oh — I am so sleepy ! ” he said. “ I sha’n’t sleep 
without rocking, for I’ll be rocked all night by the sea, 
won’t I, father?” 

“ Yes, my son,” replied his father; “ and may you 
sleep without dreams.” 

He kissed the little brown face as he spoke. The 
brown eyes looked into the browner eyes of the man, 
and the man felt that in all the wide world there was 
no one so precious to him as that little child who was 
not yet six years of age. 

“ If only I could give up my life of adventure 
for his sake ! Dare I leave him ? ” thought Mr. 
Durrant. “ I could, with Robina,” was his next 
thought. 

He looked across at the group of girls, who, on 
different deck-chairs, were gently swaying to the 
pleasant rhythmic motion of the yacht. There were 
certainly prettier girls on board, but there was no one, 
to Mr. Durrant’s mind, so altogether satisfactory as 
Robina. How was it that even at this juncture, 
Ralph scarcely kissed Robina at all, but clasped his 
arms round Harriet’s neck, and whispered something 
in her ear? and why did Harriet return his kiss with 
a sort of eager passion and then turn and talk to Jane 
in an undertone? Mr. Durrant felt he did not like 
it. He was restless, in spite of himself, and though 
he had vowed that dull Care should not enter the 
“ Sea-Gull,” and that during the happy week on board 
no contretemps should take place, he was all the time 
thinking, first of Harriet, and then again of Robina, 
and then again of Harriet. 

The first two days on board passed without any sort 
of adventure. The party landed and saw almost all 
the places of interest on the Isle of Wight, and gen- 
erally entered some little harbor to spend the night. 

[216], 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


The weather continued to be most propitious. There 
was no one either sea-sick or sorry ; nevertheless, Mr. 
Durrant felt more and more as though that choice 
which he was about to make were becoming one of 
greater anxiety each moment. 

On the third day of the little party’s residence on 
board the “ Sea-Gull,” Ralph, who woke very early, 
left his own berth and climbed into his father’s. 

“ Is you waking up, father ? ” he said. “ Is you 
going to talk to your little brown boy ? ” 

“ Of course I am, Ralph,” answered Durrant, open- 
ing one sleepy eye, and glancing comically at Ralph 
as he perched himself on one side of the bed. 

Ralph sat very still for a minute: then he said, in 
a very low, determined voice: 

“ I promised I’d say it : so I am going to.” 

“You dear little man — you promised you’d say it: 
— what do you mean by that ? ” 

“ Well,” said Ralph, “ it is this. I want you to 
choose Harriet to live with me when you is going to 
South Africa. I don’t want Robina : I like her next 
best to Harriet, but I don’t like her as well.” 

“ Now this is a very serious matter, Ralph,” said 
his father, changing his tone and becoming wide 
awake and alert at the moment, and taking his little 
boy’s hand. “ You know, my dear son, that I shall 
be absent from home for several months.” 

“ I know,” said Ralph. 

“ You will have Mrs. Temple to look after you.” 

“ I know,” said Ralph again. 

“ And being a manly boy, you won’t fret.” 

“ ’Course not,” said Ralph. Whatever feeling there 
was in his heart, he would not let it come to the sur- 
face. “ I is your own boy,” he said, after a pause. 
" You didn’t fret ever, did you ? ” 

[217] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Not to show it,” replied Mr. Durrant, after a 
minute’s pause. 

“ Sank ’oo,” said Ralph. “ I underland,” he re- 
peated. 

“ Well, my dear boy, that part is all right : but now, 
to be frank with you : I prefer Robina.” 

“ And I like Harriet,” said Ralph. 

“ Do you think, Ralph, that a little boy so young as 
you are is the best judge of who ought really to be 
his companion ? ” 

“ I don’t underland,” said Ralph then. “ I like 
Harriet best, ’cause she’s so ” 

“ Ah, yes ? ” said Mr. Durrant, in an encouraging 
voice. “ Give me your reasons, my son ; I shall listen 
with the greatest possible attention.” 

“ ’Cause she is so splendid — and — and brave,” said 
Ralph, “ and — and — noble ” 

“ Is she?” said Mr. Durrant. “Can you prove 
that?” 

“ Does you want me to prove it, father ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Mr. Durrant then. “ If Harriet is 
really the bravest girl of all your school-mothers, and 
the noblest, then — she shall stay with you as your 
school-mother. But it has got to be proved to me.” 

“ And if I can prove it,” said Ralph, “ you will 
really, really let her stay with me as my very own 
school-mother ? ” 

“ Yes, Ralph.” 

“ Sankoo so much,” said Ralph. His little face 
looked very much excited and the color flushed into 
his cheeks. 

“ Now then, that is settled,” said Mr. Durrant. 
“ You have got to prove the thing, and I have got to 
see that I believe all about it. We won’t worry any 
more for the present, for the decision is not to be come 
[218] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


to until we return to Sunshine Lodge. Go back to 
your own berth, Ralph. Turn round and have another 
hour's sleep, for it is too early for anyone to be up." 

Ralph, quite satisfied with what he had done, im- 
mediately obeyed his father. He was just like a little 
sailor, and instant obedience was his watch-word. 
But while a small brown boy slept, the big brown man 
lay awake, consumed with anxious thought. 

“ I wish I had never given my sanction to this 
plan; there is something behind the scenes. Harriet 
brave ; Harriet noble ? I never yet was mistaken in a 
face," was his thought. “ Well, little Ralph, you have 
to prove it to my satisfaction, that is one comfort." 

That day the little party landed at Lymington and 
went for a time into the New Forest under the shade 
of the “ Immemorial Elms." Ralph and Harriet had 
time to be alone for a short period. It was rather 
difficult now for the boy and the girl to be unobserved 
on these occasions. It seemed to Harriet that the 
eyes of all the school-mothers watched them, that 
Robina, in particular, followed them about with those 
gray eyes of hers. 

Robina was true to her word. She tried to enjoy 
herself and was great friends with all her companions 
with the exception of Jane, whom she left to Harriet 
entirely, and with the exception of Ralph, whom, from 
a motive which she could not define, she left more or 
less to himself. This very fact distressed Mr. Durrant 
not a little. Now, Robina and the Amberley girls 
were all walking under the trees, chatting and talking, 
and Harriet and Ralph found themselves alone. 

“ I has done it," said Ralph. “ I spoke to father 
and telled him that I wished him to choose, you." 

“ Oh, you did, did you ? " said Harriet. She pulled 
Ralph’s little hand through her arm. “ You will 
[219] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

never be sorry for that, I can tell you, Ralph. I mean 
to give you a beautiful time when I am your school- 
mother.” 

“ Oh, yes,” said Ralph ; “ but ’tisn’t ’cause of the 
beautiful time that you’re to be my school-mother, is 
it, Harriet ? ” 

Harriet looked puzzled. 

“ I mean,” said Ralph, “ that I is going to be a big 
boy. Next birthday I’ll be six, then seven, then eight 
— I’ll be growed up in no time. When a person is 
growed up, then a person hasn’t to think only just of 
nice things. I telled father that I wanted you to be 
my school-mother, to stay with me all the time, ’cause 
you’re so brave and so noble.” 

“You told him that?” said Harriet, with a short 
laugh : “ nothing more, I hope ? ” 

“ No, nothing more, ’cause you wouldn’t let me. 
But, Harriet, he said, father did ” 

“What, dear?” 

“ That I had got to prove to him that you was brave, 
and was noble — he likes people who are that; and his 
eyes flashed. Don’t you like father’s eyes when they 
grow all of a sudden so very bright? Well, they 
growed like that when I said you was brave, and 
noble ; only he said you must prove it.” 

“ Oh ! you did put your foot into things,” said Har- 
riet. “ How on earth am I to prove it.” 

“ Why, do something brave and noble,” said Ralph. 
“ I thought I’d tell you, ’cause father said he must 
know his own self, and then he’ll decide. He is going 
to decide as soon as ever we get back to Sunshine 
Lodge — oh ! and there he is calling me ! Now I must 

run to him. Coming, father, coming — this instant 

minute ! ” and Ralph lost his hold of Harriet’s hand 
and flew off to meet his parent. 

[220] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Does you want me to swarm up to the top of that 
tall tree, father? I can, you know: I isn’t a bit 
frighted,” said Ralph. 

Mr. Durrant stood and smiled. 

“ You mustn’t go too far,” he said, “ I don’t want 
you to fall and hurt yourself.” 

“ No,” said Ralph, “ that wouldn’t be right, would 
it? Special ’cause there’s no water underneath. If 1 
was to run up this tree, and run along that bough that 
bends over so, and it cracked, same as willow bough 
cracked, I ” 

Then he stopped and turned very red. Durrant was 
standing very upright and apparently not listening. 
Ralph felt a choking sensation in his throat. How 
very nearly he had betrayed himself! 

“Was you listening, father?” he said, after a 
pause ; and he came up and pulled the brown man by 
the sleeve. 

“ To what, my boy? ” 

“ To a sort of nonsense I was talking.” 

Instantly Mr. Durrant’s face grew very stern. 

“ You were not talking nonsense, Ralph,” he said. 

“ You were telling something that happened : but I 
don’t want to hear the rest. What I have heard doesn’t 
matter, for a half story is no story at all : but it is not 
exactly true to call what really happened nonsense, 
and I don’t like those words from the lips of my little 
son. Now go up your tree; climb along any branch 
you like : I am below watching you.” 

“ Yes, yes,” said the boy, the weight of the words ’ 
he had inadvertently used slipping from his mind. 

“ Father’s below, waiting for me,” he repeated. 

He climbed the tall elm tree, springing from branch 
to branch with the alertness of a little squirrel, and 
presently came down again, radiant and triumphant. 

[221] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Pluckily done, Ralph ! ” said his father, and he 
took the boy’s hand and continued to walk with him 
through the Forest. 

“ Father,” said Ralph, after a pause, “ I have been 
telling Harriet that you must have it proved that she 
is both brave and noble.” 

“ That is right, my boy. Now let us talk of some- 
thing else. There’ll be a bit of a breeze to-night: we 
must run the * Sea-Gull ’ into Yarmouth harbor. 
We must run in before long in order that we may be 
snug and in port before we have any dirty weather.” 

If there was one girl who was not perfectly happy 
during this week of sunshine, it was Jane Bush. Poor 
Jane was completely under Harriet’s influence. If 
Harriet was poor, Jane was a little poorer. Mrs. 
Burton was the sort of good Christian woman who 
took some girls into her school on special terms ; and 
both Harriet and Jane were girls of this sort. She 
had long ago made up her mind that those girls who 
could not afford to pay for a good education should 
nevertheless, if there was a vacancy at Abbeyfield, 
receive all the advantages of the best education slie 
could offer. 

Harriet was the daughter of an old friend, and 
Jane Bush was the child of a man who had once done 
her a service. Both these girls were received at 
Abbeyfield on very special terms, and Jane, in par- 
ticular, was at the school almost free of any expense. 
Mrs. Burton was not especially fond of Jane, but she 
remembered the time when Jane’s father had been 
kind to her in her need, and she was determined to 
give the girl all the advantages of a good education ; 
No one knew this ; it was never whispered in the school 
that Harriet and Jane were taken on very different 
terms from their companions. Their rooms were just 
[222] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


as comfortable, their education just as complete: but 
the girls themselves knew, and the thought rankled 
sorely in each young breast. 

Harriet had an aunt, it is true, who paid something 
for her schooling, but Jane Bush’s father paid practi- 
cally nothing at all. He was a very poor artist who 
could scarcely make two ends meet. Jane’s mother 
was dead, and the girl would have been absolutely 
neglected but for Mrs. Burton’s great kindness to her. 

Jane Bush had a little brother and sister who were 
cared for, after a fashion, by an aunt, and, with the 
exception of her school-companions, they were the 
only people she loved in the world. 

Now, the thought of that five pounds, which was to 
be hers if Harriet was lucky enough to be selected as 
school-mother to Ralph, visited her heart again and 
again. What wonders could she not achieve with so 
large a sum? Why, five pounds! Five pounds meant 
one hundred shillings, and one hundred shillings 
meant two hundred sixpences and four hundred three- 
pences ! and as to the pennies which that mighty sum 
represented — Jane felt that she was not old enough 
yet even to begin to calculate the magnitude of the 
amount! Yes, if she helped Harriet — she, who had 
always helped her more or less, would be the happy 
possessor of that sum. What could she not do for 
little Bobbie and small, round, black-eyed Miriam if 
she had five pounds of her own ? She remembered too 
Well the sordid condition of these poor little ones ; how 
many things they wanted ; how shabby were their little 
wardrobes ; how thin their winter frocks ; how bitterly 
Miriam complained of the cold, and how Bobbie cried 
when his chilblains hurt him ! 

While the others were singing and laughing and 
making merry on board the “ Sea-Gull,” and Jane’s 

[223] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


very round cheeks got rounder and browner and her 
eyes blacker and more staring, and people said to 
themselves, “ What a commonplace, careless sort of 
little girl that is and what an uninteresting face she 
has,” they little guessed that Jane’s heart was full of 
care, that she was thinking of Bobbie and Miriam 
and the things that might be done for their happiness 
if only she was the possessor of five pounds. 

She was completely under Harriet’s spell, and never 
more so than at the present moment when Harriet 
dangled before her so tempting a bait. Now Harriet, 
exceedingly annoyed at what Ralph had communi- 
cated, sought her chosen friend. 

“ Well, Jane,” she said, “ this is Friday. We shall 
be back at Sunshine Lodge on Tuesday next, and 
then the great decision has to be made. Have you 
thought of anything?” 

“Have I thought of anything?” said Jane, almost 
crossly. “ I am always thinking of things, Harriet, 
you know very well.” 

“ But if you don’t think of something good and 
clever, you may as well not think at all,” said Harriet. 
“ Now, do you know that I don’t like my present po- 
sition at all. There’s that horrid Robina — she is ex- 
actly the sort of girl who, to spoil my chances, would 
equally spoil her own. She said as much, and if we 
don’t manage to circumvent her between now and 
Tuesday, all will be up.” 

“ I would do anything in all the world to help you, 
as you know, Harriet,” said Jane ; “ but please tell 
me what circumvent means ? ” 

“ Why, get the better of her, of course, you goose ! 
You really are too silly,” said Harriet. “ Well, how 
are we to get the better of her? I want you to tell 
me.” 


[224] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“I wish I could ! ” 

“ Oh, you don’t think at all ! ” said Harriet in a fret- 
ful tone. “ If, instead of romping and joking and 
laughing all day with that silly Vivian or Rose or 
any of the other girls, you were to put on your con- 
sidering cap, you would soon find a way to earn your 
five pounds.” 

“ I want it most dreadfully,” said Jane ; “ but please 
tell me how I am to earn it, Harriet. What is it you 
want me to do ? ” 

“ Well, I tell you what I want you to do. I want 
you to do two things. To prove in some sort of 
fashion to Mr. Durrant that Robina is deceitful — 
yes, that is it, deceitful; he thinks more of truth than 
of anything under the sun — and that I am exceedingly 
brave, and exceedingly noble. I gave Ralph the hint 
to tell his father that I was both brave and noble — 
you know all about that as far as is connected with 
the pond. Well, what do you think Mr. Durrant has 
said? He says that if Ralph can prove his words, he 
will elect me as the school-mother. The deed will be 
done. There will be no getting out of it; but it has 
got to be proved — how? I leave you, Jane, to find out 
a way.” 

“ Oh, it isn’t so easy,” said Poor Jane. 

“You want your five pounds, don’t you?” said 
Harriet, with a sneer. 

“ Yes, I want it awfully. I heard from Bobbie and 
Miriam this morning and ” 

“ I don’t want to hear about those tiresome children. 
Now let us come to the boat ; they are calling us : don’t 
you hear them?” 


o 


[225] 


CHAPTER XII 


EDGED TOOLS 

Mr. Durrant's prophecies with regard to the 
weather turned out true. The “ Sea-Gull ” made with 
some difficulty into Yarmouth harbor, where it re- 
mained snugly ensconced for the night. But even 
there, although securely at anchor, it tossed about a 
good deal, and none of the children slept particularly 
well. 

Towards morning, however, the storm abated : 
the wind went down almost as suddenly as it rose, 
and Mr. Durrant determined to take the yacht as far 
as Totland Bay, and to give the children a run on the 
shore. They were all pleased with this decision, and 
when they landed on the pier, were much delighted to 
find themselves again on terra firma. 

The day was a very hot one; and, except for the 
swell after the storm, all traces of the tempest of the 
preceding night had vanished. The entire party went 
into the hotel for lunch, and afterwards took a long 
walk on the beach in the direction of the far-famed 
Needles. 

It was so fine and warm that the girls begged to be 
allowed to bathe. There was a sheltered cove about 
a mile beyond Totland Bay where they could go into 
the water; and all the party, provided with their 
bathing things, started on their expedition. 

Harriet and Jane walked on a little in front of the 
others: Robina, on this occasion, found herself with 
the Amberley girls: Mr. Durrant, Patience and Fred- 
1226] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


erica Chetwold and Ralph brought up the rear. Jane 
turned now and spoke eagerly to Harriet. 

“ I have thought of something, 1 ” she said. 

‘‘Well, what is it?” asked Harriet. 

“We are all going to bathe, aren’t we? ” 

“ I suppose so,” said Harriet : “ not that I much 
care for the look of the water,” she added. “ There 
is an awful swell, and I remember my father once 
telling me that there were strong currents all round 
this part of the coast. Only very good swimmers 
ought to go out; but of course we are safe enough, 
those of us who choose to stay in our depths.” 

“ Yes ” — said Jane — “ those of us who choose ; but 
you won’t, you know — it will be your chance.” 

“ My chance ? of what ? ” asked Harriet. 

“ Why, of proving what you want to prove to Mr. 
Durrant.” 

Harriet turned and looked full at her companion. 
It is true she was a good swimmer, and she was not 
a coward ; but she knew enough about the water to 
understand that even the best swimmer cannot cope 
against a sea which is still perturbed by a recent 
storm. She said, after a pause: 

“ I always knew you were clever enough, Jane, 
when you chose to put your brains in soak. Now, 
what is your thought? Out with it.” 

“Well,” said Jane; “it is this way. They’re all 
going to bathe — all of them — Ralph and Mr. Durrant, 
and all the girls. You coax Ralph to get a little out 
of his depth, and then you save him. Why, it’s done 
as easy as possible. Why, Mr. Durrant, he’ll feel then 
just as Ralph feels for you — that there’s nothing in all 
the world that he won’t do for you, and Robiha won’t 
be in it at all.” 

Harriet was so astonished at these words, that she 
[227] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

stood stock-still and turned and stared at her com- 
panion. 

“ But if Mr. Durrant is in the water himself, he 
will save Ralph. Besides, he won’t allow him to go 
out of his depth ; he will just keep him to himself. 
Why, Ralph is the apple of his eye, you goose ! ” 

“ Yes,” said Jane; “ but suppose he isn’t with him.” 

“ Now what are you talking about? ” 

“ If something was to happen to make him go back 
and just let the rest of us wait in the cove for him 
and — oh ! I know that I am a very bad girl ; but I 
think that if you were to make up a message of some 
sort he might go back to the yacht, and while he is 
away, we could go into the water, and then you will 
do that fine, splendid thing and — and — all will be 
right.” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet; “ yes.” She looked at the sea. 
Each moment the waves seemed to be going down; 
there were no “ white horses ” anywhere. The whole 
sea as far as the distant horizon was a blue expanse. 
There was not much, if any, danger, and people said 
it was so safe to bathe in the cove, which they were 
approaching. “ But what can we do to make Mr. 
Durrant go back?” said Harriet. 

“ I have thought of that too,” said Jane, her color 
changing. “ You remember the letter you got about 
your father?” 

“The letter that reached me this morning?” 

“ Yes, you said he was ill.” 

“ Oh, dad is often ill,” said Harriet ; “ I mean that 
he is fanciful.” 

“Well,” said Jane; “let’s pretend for the time at 
least that he is not fanciful, and that you are nervous 
about him, and that you want to hear, and that you 
think there may be a telegram waiting for you on 
[228] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


board the ‘ Sea-Gull/ Mr. Durrant is so kind that he 
would think nothing of going back to find out, and I 
would speak to him my own self if you would let me. 
Do let me, please do, Harriet ! ” 

“ You want your five pounds,” said Harriet. “ It’s 
a jolly mean way to earn it. But still, I suppose, we 
are both as mean as we can be and the idea in itself 
may succeed. I have asked you to manage this 
thing for me, Janie, it is only fair, as you get such 
a lot of money by it, so do your best, now ; I leave it in 
your hands.” 

The moment Harriet said this, Jane rushed away 
from her. She joined Mr. Durrant, and they talked 
together for some minutes with great apparent earn- 
estness. Meanwhile, Ralph rushed up to Harriet. 

“ Isn’t the day lovely ? ” he said ; “ won’t it be nice 
when we are bobbing up and down in the water? I’ll 
show you how well I can swim, Harriet. I can swim, 
you know, but I can float better than I can swim.” 

“ You must be careful not to go out of your depth,” 
said Harriet. “ Of course you can swim, although 
you are such a little boy, and when you are tired, your 
father will let you ride on his back. What fun that 
will be! Your father is so strong, and big.” 

“Yes, isn’t he just splendid?” said Ralph. 

At that moment, Jane came back. 

“ Mr. Durrant has gone to the yacht,” she whispered 
to Harriet, “ but he doesn’t wish any of us to bathe 
until he returns.” 

Ralph, who was quite uninterested in Jane’s whis- 
pered communication now ran down to the edge of 
the water and began to amuse himself shying pebbles 
into the sea. 

“ Of course there will be no telegram,” said Har- 
riet to Jane. “ Father’s in all probability as well as 
[229] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


usual, still, that was a good idea of yours, and it isn’t 
likely to be found out.” 

“ I don’t think it is likely,” said Jane. “ I am 
awfully wicked,” she continued, “ and it is you, Har- 
riet, who have made me so. I told Mr. Durrant that 
you were almost certain a telegram would come. It 
was a lie, of course, but I have done it for Bobbie’s 
sake, and Miriam’s sake, and now you have got to 
earn my five pounds for me; now is your chance.” 

“ But you have spoilt it with that message,” said 
Harriet. “ Mr. Durrant said we were none of us to 
bathe until he came back.” 

“ You must bathe,” said Jane. “ I am going to 
pretend that I forgot all about the message. You must 
act as though you never got it.” 

“ Then you, Jane, will be punished.” 

“ I can only be in disgrace,” said Jane ; “ and I don’t 
mind if I get my money. In any case, I sha’n’t bathe ; 
I am going to walk about very slowly along the beach, 
and will wait for you near the yacht. If any of the 
sailors see me, they will take me on board, and I can 
wait for you there. I shall be much too miserable to 
look on. Don’t let Ralph go far into the sea — just a 
wee, wee bit out of his depth: then catch him very 
quickly; only be sure you let Robina and the other 
girls see you do it. Things will be all right for us 
both now, won’t they ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Harriet, in an excited tone. She too 
felt that her chance had come. Her conscience 
was dulled to sleep. Not for worlds would she 
awaken it. 

Jane immediately began to walk back to Totland 
Bay, and Harriet turned to the other girls who had 
come up now to join her. 

“ When ” — said Ralph, who was softly jumping up 

[230] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

and down and holding Vivian’s hand — “ when is we 
all going into the nice, cool, lovely blue water ? ” 

“ But where can Mr. Durrant be,” said Robina. 
He said that he would come with us because the 
current would certainly be a little strong to-day. 
Perhaps we had better not bathe.” 

“ Oh, of course those who are frightened need not 
bathe,” said Harriet : “ but I am going into the water 
for one.” 

“ But where is father ? where is my father ? ” asked 
Ralph. 

“ He has gone,” said Harriet, “ out of great kind- 
ness to me to find out if a telegram has come on 
board the ‘ Sea-Gull ’ to tell me about my own father, 
who isn’t well. Isn’t it good of him ? ’’ 

“ Just like father,” said Ralph. “ And is your father 
very, very bad, Harriet ? ” 

“ Oh, I hope he is much better now,” said Harriet. 
“ But he sometimes does get ill, and then of course I 
am anxious.” 

“ ’Course you are, poor Harriet,” said Ralph, taking 
her hand and stroking it softly. 

“Well, girls,” said Harriet, looking at the others; 
“ who’s going to bathe, and who isn’t ? ” 

Two or three elected to get into their bathing things, 
and go into the water. The little cove was absolutely 
sheltered. The water was like glass. Some of the 
children were accustomed to sea-bathing, some were 
not. Harriet began eagerly to question. 

“ Who can swim ? ” she asked. 

“ I can,” said Frederica. 

“ And I a little bit,” said Rose Amberley. 

“ And I can’t,” said Robina ; “ but all the same, I am 
going to bathe if the rest of you do.” 

“ And who said you were not to bathe ? ” asked 

[231] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

Harriet. “ It will do you good, I think, for you look 
so hot and dusty.” 

“ Yes, I believe it would do me a lot of good,” said 
Robina, and as she spoke she took off her hat and 
twisting up her thick hair, knotted it firmly at the back 
of her head. 

The girls then packed their bathing things, and 
Robina, Harriet and the others prepared to get into 
the water. Little Ralph, looking prettier than he had 
ever done before, in a little tight-fitting brown bathing 
suit, skipped about on the edge of the waves. 

“ Oh ! won’t it be zolly ! ” he cried ; “ won’t it be 
zolly in the water ! Come Harriet.” 

On his lips the words were almost bubbling, “ You 
can swim splendid,” but he kept them back. 

“ Let me hold your hand, Ralph,” said Robina. 
“ We mustn’t go far because your father is not with 
us, and your father wouldn’t like it.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” said Harriet, who was standing up to 
her knees in the water, which was quite warm, and as 
still as possible. “ Those who are cowards,” she said, 
“ need not come on ; but from the little I know of Mr. 
Durrant, I should say that of all things in the world, 
he would wish Ralph to prove himself a brave boy. 
Come along with me, Ralph; hold my hand; poor 
silly Robina can’t swim, you know.” 

“ Can’t you, Robina ? Oh, I forgot,” said Ralph. 

He looked pityingly at her. 

“ I can swim quite a little bit,” he said. “ Father 
taught me; only I can’t keep up very long, but least- 
ways I can float. Can’t you even float, Robina? You 
has to turn on your back — so.” 

As Ralph spoke, he suited the action to the words, 
lying perfectly still on his back, his head slightly lower 
than his chest. Harriet laughed ; put her hand under 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

the said little head, and forced him on to his feet 
again. 

“ Why, you are a splendid boy,” she said. “ You 
and I will see together what we can do. The water is 
quite warm. Now, Ralph, you know the stroke. 
Come along ; I will help you. All of you who can 
swim, come with me, won’t you. I thought before I 
got into the water that the current might be a little 
strong, but I see I am mistaken. We can easily 
go as far as the entrance to the cove. What fun it 
will be to look at the outside world from the edge of 
the cove.” 

Harriet began to swim out boldly, and Ralph for a 
time kept pace with her, laughing as he did so. Sud- 
denly, a girl cried out : 

“ Don’t go any further, Harriet ; there’s a fisherman 
beckoning to us. Turn back, Harriet ; turn back ! ” 

Harriet turned quickly. She saw a man on the cliff 
gesticulating and waving his hand. She looked at 
Ralph. Ralph was still swimming close to her. The 
other girls had not even gone out of their depths. 
Robina, however, with her face white as death, was 
struggling into deep water. 

“ No, no ! ” cried Harriet. “ Turn back, turn back, 
Robina! It’s all right — it really is. Don’t come any 
further, you’ll be drowned if you do ! ” 

“ Ralph, Ralph, Ralph ! ” pleaded Robina. “ Come 
back to me, come back ! ” 

The little boy looked at her and smiled. 

“ Don’t be frightened,” he said. “ I is all right. I 
is just going as far as Harriet, and then I’ll swim 
back to you. It’s lovely in the water, it is so. warm 
and ” 

A tiny white curling wave came up to him at that 
moment as though it were a play-fellow and broke 

[233] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


over him as though it were laughing at him, and 
carried him imperceptibly so far from Harriet that she 
could no longer reach out her hand to touch him. 
Oh, still of course he was quite safe. JHe was nowhere 
near the entrance to the cove, and even though there 
was another white wave coming on, he was safe, as 
safe could be. But why had all the waves in a mo- 
ment, as it were, got little tiny white crests on them? 
and why was the sea not quite so blue? and why was 
there a wind which took the heat out of the water? 
Why had all these things happened? But of course 
there was not the slightest danger? Still, perhaps 
Harriet might as well keep near to Ralph. She 
wanted him to be in a little bit of danger. She wanted 
him to cry out to her, and then she wanted to catch 
him and bring him back, and she wanted the people on 
the shore to say: “Well done, Harriet! Well done, 
brave, brave girl! You have saved the little chap’s 
life!” 

So she delayed, trifling just a minute, and now an- 
other play-fellow wave — a bigger and a rougher one 
than the first two, caught the gallant tiny swimmer, 
and turned him right over this time and suddenly filled 
his lungs with water. Ralph threw up his arms. 
There was a sharp scream from the girls on the shore. 
Harriet saw the fisherman flying down from the cliffs 
above, and, turning herself, swam as fast as ever she 
could in Ralph’s direction. But now she was about to 
test her own foolhardiness, for alas! poor little Ralph 
had got into the current — one of those terribly danger- 
ous currents which have wrecked not only brave 
swimmers, but even boats at sea when they got within 
the neighborhood of the treacherous Needles. 

The little brown head bobbed one minute on the 
surface of the waves and then disappeared. Harriet 

[234] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


gave a frantic cry. She swam after the boy, putting 
out all her strength. Her hand was stretched out, and 
when he reappeared, she caught him by his little 
bathing suit. 

By this time, one of the fishermen had got into the 
water, and a minute or two later, both girl and boy 
were lying exhausted on the beach. 

“ You did a mighty silly thing, young folks — daring 
to go into the water on a day like this ! ” said the man. 
“ Why, little master was just drownding!” 

“ O Harriet ! ” said Frederica ; “ you were brave ! ” 

Harriet heard the words, and then sank away into 
a swoon. Had she earned her reward? These were 
the last thoughts she took with her into the world 
of unconsciousness. 

When she came to herself, Mr. Durrant was bending 
over her. Ralph, very pale, but quite well, was seated 
close to her side and all the other girls were gazing 
at her from a respectful distance. 

“ I don’t understand this story at 311 ,” said Mr. 
Durrant. “ Sit up, Harriet, my dear. You have re- 
ceived a great shock; you must drink some of this.” 

He held a cup of hot coffee to her lips. One of the 
fishermen had brought it from his own cottage near 
by. 

“ Now, that’s better,” said Mr. Durrant, when the 
girl had sipped a little and looked round her. “ But, 
my dear Harriet, my last instructions were that none 
of you were to go into the water. Of course, I know 
what a dangerous coast this is, and after the storm of 
last night, you ran the most fearful risk.” 

“ But she was brave ! she was noble ! She did, she 
did try to save me ! ” said Ralph, clasping Harriet’s 
hand and fondling it as his brown eyes filled with 
tears. 


[235] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Oh yes ; that is quite true,” said Mr. Durrant. 
He spoke quietly. “ Still,” he said, “ I don’t under- 
stand why my message was disobeyed.” 

“ But we never heard anything about it. We 
shouldn’t have dreamed of going into the water,” said 
Frederica, “ if we had known that you did not ap- 
prove.” 

“ I told Jane that you were none of you to bathe 
until I came back. Harriet, there is no telegram from 
your father: you must consider no news as good 
news.” 

“ Oh yes,” said Harriet, in a faint voice. She took 
Ralph’s hand and whispered to him : “ Stay close to 
me. When you are close to me, I won’t be seeing all 
the time your little head going under the water.” 

“ We have a great deal to be thankful for,” said Mr. 
Durrant.” “ But I cannot understand Jane Bush. 
She seemed in great distress about you, Harriet, and 
said that you were fretting terribly about your father. 
She wanted herself to go back to try and get news 
from the yacht, but of course I offered to go. Still, I 
gave implicit directions that you were none of you to 
bathe. Where is Jane? ” 

“ I think she had a headache,” said Harriet. “ Any- 
how, she said she would go back and stay near the 
yacht. She thought, perhaps, one of the boatmen 
would see her and take her on board.” 

“ And she never gave you my message ? ” 

“ Certainly not,” said Harriet. 

“ Well, my dear,” said Mr. Durrant after a pause, 
“ I am exceedingly sorry that this should have hap^- 
pened ; but nevertheless we have much to be thankful 
for. I have given that poor brave sailor what I hope 
he will consider a suitable reward. And now, chil- 
dren, I think we will get back to the yacht : the sooner 

[236] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

Harriet lies down the better. I can see, my dear, that 
your own head is aching badly.” 

“ It is ; I feel queer and rather sick,” said Harriet. 

“ I have ordered a wagonette to meet us, and we 
will drive back to Totland Bay : you are all much too 
tired to walk,” said Mr. Durrant ; “ all except you, 
you plucky little man,” he added, looking at his little 
son. “ You don’t seem a bit the worse.” 

“ I wasn’t a bit frighted, father,” said Ralph, speak- 
ing with great excitement, “ ’cause I knew” 

“ What did you know, my boy ? ” 

“ That Harriet would save me, ’cause she ” — the 
words came out with a rush — “ did it afore ! ” 

Everyone looked at Harriet, who turned very pale. 

“ Is this the second time you have saved Ralph, my 
dear Harriet?” asked Mr. Durrant. 

“ Ralph?” said Harriet. “You know you ought 
not to speak ” 

“ Don’t ask her, father,” said Ralph. 

“ I ask her nothing. She has saved your life this 
time, that I can testify. You are a brave girl, Harriet ; 
forgive me for having doubted you. Bravery like 
yours must be accompanied by other noble traits of 
character. I will say no more for the present except 
to add that you ran a terrible risk, and that whatever 
your good intentions, you could not possibly have 
saved Ralph but for the aid of that brave sailor who 
brought you both back to shore.” 

The said sailor now appeared on the scene to an- 
nounce the approach of the carriage which was to con- 
vey the party to the yacht. They all got in, and in a 
short time were back again on board the “ Sea-Gull.” 
The first person they saw when they stood on the deck 
of the pretty little yacht was Jane, whose white face 
and anxious eyes would have told too much of her 
[ 237 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

story had not Harriet rushed up to her, squeezed her 
hand and managed to whisper: 

“ It is all right ; and you have but to say boldly now 
that you forgot to give me the message about not 
bathing.” 

“Is that you, Jane Bush?” said Mr. Durrant at 
that moment. 

“ Yes, sir,” said Jane, coming forward. 

Harriet gave her fingers a squeeze. That squeeze 
seemed to say : 

“ Five pounds will be yours — five beautiful, lovely, 
golden sovereigns! Don’t lose your courage now.” 

“ I particularly gave you a message, Jane, when you 
were so anxious for me to return to the yacht on Har- 
riet’s behalf. Did you forget it ? ” 

“What message, sir?” asked Jane. 

“ I requested the young people — in fact, I did much 
more than request, I desired the young people not on 
any account to go into the water until my return.” 

“ O, sir — so you did!” said Jane. 

“ And you never gave the message ? ” 

“ No, sir,” said Jane, dropping her head. 

“And why not, pray? It was very important.” 

“ I — I had a headache, sir.” 

“ You — in fact — forgot? ” 

“Yes, Mr. Durrant, I — I forgot,” said Jane. 

“ Another time, please remember. You might be 
an intensely miserable girl now but for the exceeding 
bravery of a man who happened to see our little party 
from one of the cliffs. Two lives were in extreme 
danger — the life of your own special friend, Harriet 
Lane, and the life of my little son. Harriet was brave 
of the brave, and did manage to come to his rescue 
and to hold his head above water at the critical mo- 
ment, but neither of the children could have possibly 

[238] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


resisted the current had not this man swum into 
the water in his clothes and brought them back to 
land. So be more careful in future, Jane, that is all.” 

Mr. Durrant turned away. 

“ You have earned your five pounds, I am sure and 
certain of that,” said Harriet to her companion on the 
evening of that same day. 


[239]' 


CHAPTER XIII 

robina' s decision 

The swimming adventure took place on Friday. 
Saturday passed without anything special occurring. 
Sunday was a lovely day, when they all steamed about 
and enjoyed the fresh breezes, and, as Mr. Durrant 
expressed it, forgot dull Care. Monday also passed 
without excitement, and on Tuesday, the little party 
returned in a body to Sunshine Lodge. 

Now the crucial moment was close at hand, and 
what might have occurred but for an unexpected 
obstacle, no one can quite say ; for there is little doubt 
that Mr. Durrant was deeply impressed by Harriet's 
conduct. He was such a brave man himself, that he 
could not but admire bravery in others, and the girl 
who had risked her life for his son was not to be 
lightly regarded. He still continued to feel much 
puzzled about her, and still, in his heart of hearts, 
much preferred Robina. 

But Robina Starling was by no means at her best 
just now. She looked dull and sad and, notwithstand- 
ing every effort, care would sit upon her young brow 
and visit her frank, although troubled, eyes. Still, the 
person who really quite upset the whole scheme which 
had been so carefully planned by Harriet Lane was 
the one who, under ordinary circumstances, might 
have been least expected to do so. Her own familiar 
friend was the obstacle who made matters just in the 
moment of apparent victory exceedingly difficult. 

Jane Bush was supposed to be a very commonplace 
[240], 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


little girl. In one sense, this was true. She was not 
particularly clever : she was not at all good-looking : 
she had few chances in life. She had, however, her 
good points. She was devoted to the little brother 
and sister, who, much younger than herself, had none 
of the advantages which she enjoyed. While Harriet, 
in her way, was fearless and bold, Jane was a little bit 
of a coward. Now cowards are extremely useful to 
wicked, designing people. They are so easily en- 
trapped, and when once they are in the toils, it is al- 
most impossible for them to get out again. 

Jane felt herself in the toils as far as Harriet was 
concerned. Nevertheless, she was very unhappy. 
Harriet, who must have a confidante, had given Jane a 
graphic account of what really occurred in the little 
cove not far from Totland Bay. Jane had listened 
with her usual, absorbed attention, her round black 
eyes fixed on her companion’s pale face. In the ex- 
citement of the narrative, Harriet had squeezed Jane’s 
hand, and had said, with passionate emphasis : 

“ Oh ! it was such a near thing ! and when I saw him 
throw up his dear little hands, and when I noticed 
that his little brown head went under the waves, I 
thought I should go mad. Your five pounds, my own 
future, all the happiness that I had planned for my- 
self, seemed to me as nothing at all — as nothing at all 
at that awful moment.” 

“ I understand,” said Jane. She spoke in a very 
low voice. “ You don’t know, Harriet,” she said 
then, what I felt on board the yacht. They let me on 
at once, of course, for the second mate saw me and sent 
a boat to the pier, and I was on deck with nothing to 
do only just to look at the sea and think. You must 
have all been in the water at the time, for there came 
up a cloud, and the sea got quite rough, and I heard 
p [241] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


the second mate say to one of the officers that there 
was a squall coming on. Oh ! I was nearly mad ! ” 

“Yes; that was about the time/’ said Harriet, 
calmly. “ It was a very fearful time. It was then, 
just then, that I was earning my happy, happy time 
with Ralph; my splendid future with all my edu- 
cational expenses paid: and you, you silly Jane, were 
earning your five pounds. We were getting these 
things through our pain. I suppose it was worth it.” 

“ I don’t know,” said Jane, in a listless voice, “ per- 
haps so.” 

She got up as she spoke and walked to the other 
side of the deck. This conversation took place on 
Monday evening. It was overheard by no one. The 
other girls were absorbed in their own interests, and 
Ralph was with his father. Robina was reading by 
herself. 

The week on board the yacht had not been a success 
as far as she was concerned. Had she listened, as 
once before she was forced to listen to a conversation 
between Harriet and Jane, she might have made up 
her mind to a line of conduct which was now far from 
her thoughts. 

As Jane lay down in her little berth in her pretty 
state cabin on that last night on board the “ Sea-Gull ” 
she could not help thinking over again of Harriet’s 
graphic narrative ; and she could not help reflecting on 
her own most awful feelings, had anything really hap- 
pened to Ralph. Had anything really happened ! 
Poor Jane trembled from head to foot. She knew only 
too well what that “ anything ” would have been. 
There would no longer have been in this wide world a 
little boy called Ralph — a little brown-eyed boy with 
brown hair, and the sweetest smile in the world, and 
the most gallant spirit. He would have gone away. 

[242] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


No little school-mother would have been needed to 
look after him. Harriet herself might or might not 
be dead ; but if Ralph had been drowned that time, 
poor little Jane felt that she would have gone mad. 
Five pounds ! They were not so much after all. She 
felt dreadful : she could not sleep. In the visions of the 
night, ugly things seemed to come and visit her. She 
started up, pressing her hands to her eyes. Could she 
go on with this? Could she allow a girl like Harriet 
to be companion, friend, and to a certain extent pro- 
tector of such a very precious little boy as Ralph. 
Oh ! how in her heart of hearts Jane did admire 
Robina! How earnestly she wished that it had been 
her lot to have Robina as her friend! 

“ She would have made me strong/’ thought poor 
Jane. “ She is never a scrap afraid. Now I am al- 
ways afraid. Perhaps it will be better for me at school 
if Harriet is not there. Of course I am fond of Har- 
riet: I ought to be, for she and I are chums; and a 
girl must be a mean sort to forsake her chum. But 
still — oh ! she does make me feel wicked ! I almost 
wish I had not earned that five pounds. I don’t think 
it will bring any luck to Bobbie and Miriam.” 

Jane tried to force her thoughts to dwell upon the 
very shabby condition of her little brother and sister; 
but, notwithstanding all her efforts, she could not 
manage to do this. Miriam’s lack of nice clothes, and 
Bobbie’s lack of shoes and socks could not appeal to 
her, for were not their consciences quite contented 
and calm and happy? After all, was there anything, 
anything so nice in the whole world as a contented 
conscience ? 

The next day, when all the children went back to 
Sunshine Lodge, Jane was greeted by a letter from 
the aunt who had charge of little Miriam and Bobbie. 

[243] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

It was a wonderfully cheerful letter. The aunt — 
Polly by name — assured Jane that the children were 
particularly well, and that a kind lady had taken a 
fancy to them and had given them a lot of clothes. 
These clothes belonged to some of her own children 
who had outgrown them, but they were of such good 
quality and so well made that both Bobbie and Miriam 
looked almost stylish in them. Bobbie had got shoes, 
and Miriam pretty frocks ; and, in short, for a time at 
least, the little ones wanted for nothing. 

Jane felt as she read this letter that she quite hated 
it. It seemed to take the ground from under her feet. 
Her five pounds could have been done without. 
Ralph’s life need not have been risked, and Jane her- 
self need not have been so fearfully deceitful, and 
need not have told a lie. 

“ Oh dear, oh dear ! ” she said to herself. Her face 
looked so comical in its distress that Vivian Amberley, 
who was standing near, asked her if anything was the 
matter. 

“Oh yes,” said Jane; “ I have had a letter about 
the children.” 

“ Are they ill ? ” asked Vivian. 

“ No, no,” answered Jane. “ They never were bet- 
ter ; and they have got such a lot of beautiful clothes 
— oh dear, oh dear ! ” 

She gave a deep sigh, and went away. 

“ Well,” said Vivian, turning to her companion ; 
“ I never heard of such a funny reason as that for 
Jane to be so dismal. The children are well, and have 
got a lot of new clothes ! What can be up ? ” 

“ It’s something to do with Harriet, of that I am 
sure,” said Frederica. 

Vivian lowered her voice. “ I can’t make out what 
is wrong,” she said. 


[ 244 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ There is something wrong : we all feel it,” said 
Patience. “ Why, look at Robina.” 

Robina was not present, so no one could look at 
her. Patience went on excitedly : 

“ From the very first, there has been something up 
with Robina, and she looks worse than ever now. 
You know what a thoroughly jolly girl she is. She 
won’t tell us why, but she is not enjoying herself.” 

“ I suppose she is excited,” said Frederica, “ about 
Mr. Durrant’s decision. He is quite certain sure to 
choose her as school-mother for Ralph.” 

“ Quite certain sure ? ” repeated Patience. “ You 
know very little when you say that. I am equally cer- 
tain that he won’t choose her. Anyhow, we are all 
to know to-morrow morning. This is Tuesday: he 
will tell us what he has decided after breakfast to- 
morrow. It is exciting, isn’t it? ” 

“ Well,” said Rose, “ I do love Mr. Durrant, but 
I think he’ll be an awful goose if he chooses that Har- 
riet to be Ralph’s school-mother.” 

“ She is very brave, whatever she is,” said Vivian. 
“ She was magnificient that time when she got into 
the dangerous current and tried to save Ralph. That 
sailor said it was touch and go, and that although he 
brought them back to shore, Ralph might have been 
drowned but for Harriet.” 

“Yes, it was brave enough,” said Frederica, then ; 
“ but somehow I don’t like the state of things. There’s 
something up with Jane, there’s something up with 
Harriet. Now I don’t care twopence either for Jane 
or Harriet, but there’s something up with Robina, and 
I love Robina.” 

“ We all love her ! Who could help it ? ” said the 
others. 

“ There is one good thing,” said Rose ; “ if by any 

[245] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


chance she is not elected to be Ralph’s school-mother, 
she will be back with us at Mrs. Burton’s school next 
term. How splendid it would be if Harriet was 
not always making mischief ! How queer Harriet 
is!” 

Just then, Harriet herself appeared. She was walk- 
ing with Jane by her side. Whether it was her im- 
mersion in the sea, and the excitement of Jane through 
which she had lived, or whether it was that she was 
really feeling things more than she cared to own, she 
looked paler than ever, her blue eyes lighter, and the 
shadows under them more intense: her long straight 
hair seemed to grow longer and more lanky, and her 
narrow figure taller. She hardly glanced at the other 
girls, but went past them, accompanied by Jane. 

“ There they go,” said Frederica : “ they are going 
to have a big confab now somewhere. Why will 
Harriet never join the rest of us and be jolly and 
merry? We are meant to have such a beautiful time 
at Sunshine Lodge, but she really takes the fun out of 
things: her queer melancholy face and her odd ways 
of going on would depress any party. I know Mr. 
Durrant feels it, and that he is dreadfully puzzled 
what to do.” 

“ Oh ! Here is Robin ! ” 

These words were uttered by two or three of the 
girls who ran up to Robina at that moment. Robina 
also was looking ill at ease, but her face by no means 
wore the expression which characterized either Jane’s 
or Harriet’s. The frank look could never leave her 
gray eyes. She always held herself very erect, and 
her fine young figure, in consequence, showed on every 
occasion to the best advantage. She wore a pretty 
white frock now, and her fine brown hair fell in masses 
far below her waist. 


[246] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Dear Robina ! ” said Rose, running up to her and 
taking her hand. “ Do sit down and be cosy with us 
all. Isn’t it nice to be back again at Sunshine Lodge ! 
We have ten more happy days to spend here before 
school begins.” 

“ I haven’t,” said Robina, gently ; “ I am going 
away to-morrow.” 

“ You are going away to-morrow ! ” cried several 
voices ; while others said, “ What ? ” and others again 
exclaimed : “ Oh Robina ! what do you mean ? ” and 
yet others cried, “ No, no, we can’t stand this, we are 
not going to allow it; we couldn’t live without you, 
Robina ! ” 

“ You are all sweet,” said Robina, “ and I love you 
very much ; and perhaps — I am not quite sure what 
may happen now — but perhaps I may meet you again 
at Abbeyfield. But that is not the point. I am leaving 
here to-morrow : I am going home.” 

“ But Robin, Robin, why? tell us why! ” 

“ There is no special secret,” said Robina. “ I did 
not mean to say anything about it to you — at least, 
not quite so soon; but as I have met you, I may as 
well say I have made up my mind — I love Ralph very 
dearly, but I am not going to be his school-mother. I 
mean,” she added proudly, “ that I shan’t compete. I 
haven’t the slightest doubt that the decision will be 
made against me, but now, whether it is made for or 
against me, I sha’n’t compete. I am just going to tell 
Harriet that she need not have any fear, and then I 
shall speak to Mr. Durrant and I will ask him to let 
me go back to father and mother. I can’t explain any 
more than that. It — it isn’t exactly my fault: I am 
puzzled a good deal ; and perhaps if I were one of 
you, I could do differently, but being myself, there 
is nothing for it but to withdraw.” 

[247] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ But there is something for it,” said Patience Chet- 
wold. “ You are withdrawing because you know some- 
thing, and because you won’t say it, and is that right 
or fair either to Mr. Durrant or Ralph? Robina, 
before you leave us, you have got to answer one ques- 
tion, and to answer it truthfully.” 

“ Well, what is it? ” said Robina. 

“You have never told a lie, and you know that,” 
said Patience. 

“ I don’t think I ever have,” said Robina, thought- 
fully. “No, I am sure I never have told even the 
tiniest little half lie.” 

“ Very well,” said Patience, in a voice of triumph ; 
“ you will tell the truth now.” 

“ Or be silent,” said Robina. 

“ Oh well, we will take your silence for what it is 
worth. Anyhow,” said Patience, “ have I the permis- 
sion of the rest of you girls to ask Robina a question 
in all our names? ” 

“ Certainly, certainly ! ” they said ; and they crowded 
round Patience, who placed herself in the middle of 
the group. 

Patience was a tall, fair-haired girl with a great 
deal of quiet power and dignity in her own way. 

“ This is a question which appeals to all us school- 
mothers,” she said. “ We all feel ourselves more or 
less responsible for little Ralph. Mr. Durrant put him, 
as it were, under our charge when he brought him to 
Abbeyfield School. Ralph chose Harriet to be his 
favorite school-mother. Then we all know what 
happened, and Harriet, as we hoped, repented, and we 
were glad; and you, Robina, were chosen as the real 
school-mother, and you won the pony, and we were 
glad of that too. But now things are changed. Still 
that fact does not alter the other fact that we are still 
[248] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Ralph's school-mothers, and that we are bound, if 
necessary, to protect him. 

“ Mr. Durrant is one of the nicest men in all the 
world, and he has asked us here for love of Ralph, 
and has given us the most glorious time, and has done 
all that man could for our pleasure ; and is this the re- 
turn we will make him — to allow him to choose a girl 
like Harriet to be school-mother to Ralph? for of 
course we know — and he has said so — that the choice 
lies between you, — Robina, and Harriet ; and now you, 
just before the moment of decision, back out of the 
whole thing and say you won’t be Ralph’s school- 
mother, and that you are going home. The rest of 
us think that a very cowardly and wrong thing to do : 
therefore we demand from you, as being ourselves 
Ralph’s school-mothers, an answer to our question.” 

“Yes, yes!” here interrupted the others. “You 
have put the case very well, Patience; and the ques- 
tion you are about to ask ought to be answered.” 

“ Our question is this,” said Patience, raising her 
voice a little. “ Are you, or are you not, prepared to 
say that Harriet, as far as you know, will be a kind 
and truthful and honorable school-mother to Ralph? 
Are you happy in giving Ralph up yourself to Har- 
riet’s care? or do you know anything against her?” 

“ I can’t say, and I won’t say,” replied Robina, 
turning very red. “ There are things that even a girl 
placed in my position cannot do.” 

“ Very well,” said Patience, “ you have answered. 
You can go now, Robina, and tell Harriet your de- 
cision. But between now and to-morrow morning, 
when the great decision is publicly made, we, the rest 
of the school-mothers, will have something to say 
with regard to the matter.” 

Robina immediately left her companions. Her head 

[249] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


was aching; her heart was throbbing hard. Neverthe- 
less, her mind was fully made up. She found Jane 
and Harriet walking side by side in the neighborhood 
of the round pond. She approached quite close to 
them before they heard her. She did not want to 
listen to their conversation. 

“ I eavesdropped once,” she thought, “ unintention- 
ally of course; nevertheless, I did such a horrid, such 
a mean, such a despicable thing, and oh ! how I have 
suffered in consequence ! But I won’t eavesdrop 
again — not if I know it.” 

Nevertheless, as she came close to the other girls, 
she had time to look at the pond, and to notice the 
exact position of that willow bough along whose slen- 
der branch little Ralph had crept in order to gather 
the water-lilies. The water-lilies were there still in 
great abundance with all their delicate wax-like cups 
closed, for it was the time of their slumber. The pond, 
too, looked still and glassy on its surface, except when 
the duck-weed, and many parasites of the pond threw 
an unwholesome glamor over its depths. Robina 
seemed to realize the whole scene that had taken place 
there — the child who had dropped into the water, the 
immediate power of the clinging weeds, the impossi- 
bility for the little fellow to swim in his clothes. She 
saw again Harriet rushing to the rescue, and she well 
guessed the storm of devotion which she had aroused 
in the heart of the brave little child. But since that 
scene, which, without its explanation, sounded inno- 
cent enough, another had taken place — one that 
Robina herself had witnessed. Could she ever forget 
the agony of that moment when, almost out of her 
depth, she had longed in vain for the power to swim 
out to save Ralph ! Would she at such a moment have 
thought of any possible reward except that most di- 

[250] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

vine reward of all — that of giving up her very life for 
his?” 

Robina shook herself as though from a day-dream, 
and it was at this instant that Harriet and Jane, turn- 
ing, saw her standing in the path. 

Jane’s round face was quite pale, and there were 
tears in her black eyes. She had been letting off some 
of the soreness of her heart to Harriet, and Harriet 
had been the reverse of sympathizing. Harriet had 
said once or twice: 

“ All right, Jane : if you don’t want the five pounds, 
you need not have them. I can assure you it is an 
immense sacrifice on my part to give you so much 
money; but when I make a promise, I keep it. You 
haven’t done much for me, so don’t you think it : but I 
promised you five pounds. My birthday will be this 
week: god-mother never forgets me. When the five 
pound note comes, it will be handed over to you : you 
can take it or leave it.” 

Why was it that the last words of Harriet’s sentence 
were wafted to Robina’s ears ? “ When the five pound 
note comes, you can take it or leave it.” Harriet 
turned pale and drew herself up abruptly. 

“Well,” she said, “have you been eavesdropping 
again ? ” 

“ No,” said Robina, stoutly. “ I came to speak to 
you as I heard that you and Jane were walking in the 
shrubbery. I did hear your last sentence ; I heard you 
say to Jane, ‘ When the five pounds comes, you can 
take it or leave it.’ I haven’t an idea what that sen- 
tence means, nor does it concern me. I want to speak 
to you, however, Harriet. Will you kindly listen, 
please.” 

“Hadn’t I better go?” said Jane, who felt exceed- 
ingly uncomfortable. 

[251] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ No,” said Robina ; “ unless Harriet greatly minds, 
I should prefer you to stay, Jane. You are her special 
friend, and you ought to witness what I am about to 
say to her. I don’t think that you, Harriet, and you, 
Jane, have many secrets from each other.” 

The two other girls were silent, but they both felt 
uncomfortable. 

“ What I have to say,” continued Robina, “ can be 
said in a very few words indeed. I have just to tell 
you this, Harriet. I have made up my mind to with- 
draw from the competition which was set to all the 
schoolgirls who came to this house, but which was 
especially intended to be a competition between you 
and me. I do not now wish to be Ralph Durrant’s 
school-mother: you will therefore have no difficulty 
to-morrow morning, for there will be no one to com- 
pete with you. I am now going to tell Mr. Durrant 
what I have decided.” 

“ But I say,” cried Harriet, “ you must have some 
reason for this ! ” 

“ I have my reasons, but those I am not prepared to 
give,” said Robina. 

“ I know,” continued Harriet, speaking in great ex- 
citement ; “ you nasty, horrid spitfire ! You find that 
you have utterly failed — that you have not a chance of 
getting the position that you so covet ; therefore you 
think you will make an imposing appearance if you 
withdraw from the competition. But let me tell you, 
that is monstrously unfair! You ought not to with- 
draw at the eleventh hour.” 

“ That is my affair,” said Robina. Even if I were 
elected school-mother to-morrow, I should not accept 
the position.” 

“ Oh, wouldn’t you ? ” said Harriet. “ It is so 
fine to hear you talking in that way; you know per- 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

fectly well that you would just give your eyes for 
it.” 

“ If that is your opinion, you are welcome to keep 
it,” said Robina. “ But anyhow, my mind is quite 
made up.” 

She was turning to go, when Harriet ran after her. 

“ Robina,” she said, “ do you mean — that is, you 
will go without saying anything ? ” 

“ Ask me no questions ; when you are made school- 
mother, I suppose you will be content: and I suppose 
— at least I hope you will be good to little Ralph.” 

Robina’s lips quivered. Before Harriet could utter 
another word she had pushed her brusquely aside, 
and disappeared in the direction towards the house. 


[253] 


CHAPTER XIV 

PATIENCE INTERFERES 

It was now early in September, and although the 
weather was quite warm, the days were of course 
shortening considerably. Mrs. Burton’s school was 
to re-open on the fifteenth of September. It was now 
the fourth day of the month; there was, therefore, 
practically ten days’ holiday still remaining for the 
girls. 

These last few days, as all schoolgirls know, are 
very precious: each one, as it arrives, seems more 
valuable than its predecessor. More and more pleas- 
ures seem to crowd into these last hours, more and 
more things are there to talk about, more and more 
matters to arrange. There is at once pain and pleas- 
ure mingled in each young breast : the pain of parting 
from the beloved friends who have been with one 
during the long summer vacation, the pain of giving 
up pleasure for discipline, of giving up freedom for 
a certain amount of restraint. But the girl who really 
longs to do her best in life does not go back to school 
with unmixed sensations of regret. Healthier feelings 
than these visit her heart. She will accomplish much 
in the weeks that lie before her. She will get to the 
other side of this and that difficulty. She will take an 
honorable place in the report which is sent to her 
parents at the end of the term. She will enjoy the 
healthy life of routine and wholesome discipline. 

The young girls who were inmates now of Sunshine 
Lodge were all of them, with the exception of Harriet 

[254] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


Lane and Jane Bush, healthy-minded. They liked 
their pleasant school life : they were devoted to their 
parents and guardians : but they were also devoted to 
Mrs. Burton and to the teachers in that delightful 
home of culture, Abbeyfield School. They therefore 
talked much of their future as they wandered about 
now in the dusk before coming in to late supper; and 
for a time even Robina and Harriet and Jane and little 
Ralph were forgotten. 

Had not Patience to make the very most of her last 
term at school? and how soon would Cecil Amberley 
be moved from the third to the sixth form? What 
would be the big prize to be competed for next Christ- 
mas? What would the new French Mademoiselle be 
like? and would their dear old Fraulein return once 
more to the school ? Such and such questions occupied 
them : but by-and-by it was time to go indoors to dress 
for supper, and when they entered the house a shadow 
seemed to fall over their bright young spirits and they 
looked one at the other questioningly. 

“ How selfish I am ! ” whispered Patience Chetwold 
to her sister. “ I forgot in the excitement of our chat 
all about poor Robina. Girls, we must stick to our 
promise and worry out this thing to the very bottom.” 

“ But if Robina has spoken to Mr. Durrant, what 
is there to be done ? ” remarked Rose. “ Mr. Durrant 
is a very determined man, and hates anything that he 
considers small and mean : he will not like our inter- 
fering. You see,” continued Rose, “ we have been out 
of this matter from the very first ; the whole thing has 
rested between Harriet and Robina.” 

“ Yes,” said Patience ; “ and very, very cleverly has 
Harriet played her cards. Well, all that I can say is 
that if I can circumvent that horrid sly creature in 
favor of poor dear true-hearted Robina, I shall do 

[255] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


so. But now, let us run upstairs and get tidy for sup- 
per. This may be Liberty Hall, girls, but Mr. Dur- 
rant likes form and ceremony as much as anyone I 
know ; and if the girls of Sunshine Lodge — as he calls 
us — don’t make a presentable appearance at the last 
meal in the day, he is always somewhat annoyed.” 

The different girls went off immediately to their 
rooms, where they arrayed themselves in pretty eve- 
ning dress. The shortness of the evenings by no 
means took from the pleasure of being at Sunshine 
Lodge; in fact, of late, the evenings had been almost 
the most delightful part of the day. With such a host 
as Mr. Durrant it was quite impossible to be dull. He 
was the best story teller and the best comrade in the 
world. He had a way of making every child with 
whom he came in contact feel perfectly at home with 
him. But, at the same time, that child would not dare 
to take an undue liberty. He expected the child to be 
happy — very, very happy — but he also expected and 
insisted on instant obedience. 

“ When I put my foot down, it is down/’ he was 
heard to say ; “ when I order a thing to be done, that 
thing is to be done; there is no walking round it, or 
squeezing out of it, or circumventing it in any way 
whatsoever. My object is the pleasure of all these 
young people; but I am the captain of this ship — if 
I may be permitted to use the simile — and the gen- 
eral in this battlefield. The captain must be obeyed, 
or the ship founders; and the general must give his 
orders, or the battle is lost.” 

The girls knew all these things, and the very fact 
that there was unseen discipline at Sunshine Lodge 
gave the final zest to their enjoyments. Ralph would 
not have been the charming boy he was, but for this 
admirable trait of his father’s. Ralph, from his earli- 
[ 256 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


est days had obeyed at a word, at a nod. When he was 
told to go to bed, he went. He was never heard to 
plead for one minute or two minutes more. When he 
was ordered to get up, he rose. When he was ex- 
pected to attend to his lessons, he did so. All the same, 
Ralph felt himself free as a little bird in the air, and 
happy as any child will be who clings to his beloved 
father’s hand. Even when parted from his father, 
Ralph had metaphorically clung to that strong brown 
hand. When he found things difficult in his little life, 
he remembered it, — how firm it was, how supporting. 
Even when his father was not present, he did instinct- 
ively what that father wished. 

The happy little party at Sunshine Lodge came 
downstairs on this special evening with a certain feel- 
ing of expectancy. The Chetwolds and the Amberleys 
were very much concerned to know if anything de- 
cisive had yet taken place; if Robina had met Mr. 
Durrant and had told him her decision, if Harriet 
knew, and if when they all met — first of all in the 
pleasant drawing-room and then in the still more de- 
lightful dining-room — they would see Robina’s proud 
calm face looking a little prouder and a little more 
resolved than usual, and Harriet’s queer pale face 
somewhat triumphant in its expression and Jane look- 
ing queer and frightened and worried as she had al- 
ways done of late. 

But when they all did come downstairs, the first 
thing they noticed was that although Robina was in 
the room, and Harriet and Jane, Mr. Durrant was ab- 
sent. Robina was seated in a distant corner where the 
electric light fell full on the pages of her open book. 
She wore a white frock, but had not taken otherwise 
much pains with her appearance. Robina did not even 
look up when her companions entered the room. Har- 
Q [ 257 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

riet, dressed in all the finery she could lay hands on, 
was standing by a table talking in a low tone to Jane. 
Ralph, who, as a rule, never sat up to supper, was 
also present on this occasion. He was dancing about 
in that radiant fashion he had, flying excitedly from 
one object of interest to another. 

“Oh, what do you think, Patience ?” he said. “ Fs 
got to sit up to supper to-night ! ” 

“Have you, indeed, Ralph ?” replied Patience 
in some surprise, “ but it’s rather late for you, isn’t 
it?” 

“ It’s not at all too late,” said Harriet, just raising 
her eyes and glancing defiantly at Patience and then 
turning to Ralph. “ In the absence of your father, 
Ralph, I give you leave to sit up,” she said. 

“ Sankoo, Harriet,” said Ralph, taking her hand, 
and giving it a most affectionate squeeze. “ Oh ! I is 
glad ! ” he said. “ I feel quite a grown-up person to- 
night.” 

Robina did not take the slightest notice, but Fred- 
erica now enquired eagerly if Mr. Durrant were really 
absent. 

“ Yes,” said Jane; “ when we came in, expecting to 
find him here as usual, we were told that he was 
obliged to go suddenly to London, but would be back 
here by a very early train in the morning.” 

“ John told us,” continued Harriet, “ that Mr. Dur- 
rant will return in time for breakfast; we must spend 
this evening as best we can without him.” 

Here she glanced at Robina. Ralph, who had been 
pulling excitedly at Harriet’s hand without receiv- 
ing any attention, now left her and ran up to 
Robina. 

“ Is you sad about anything, Robin ? ” he asked. 

“Oh, no,” replied Robina. She laid down her 

[258] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

book and looked full at him. He looked full back at 
her. 

“ Don’t,” he said suddenly, in a low voice. 

“ Why did you ask me that ? ” she responded. 

Her tone was dropping to a whisper. 

“ Your eyes hurt,” said the little fellow ; “ they go 
inside me and — and — burn something.” 

He touched his little breast. Robina bent forward 
and without a moment’s warning gave him a quick 
and passionate kiss. 

“ Hypocrite ! ” whispered Harriet under her breath. 
She called Ralph to her. 

“ Come here,” she said. 

He went slowly and with manifest unwillingness. 

“ Sit there for a minute,” said Harriet. 

She stalked across the room and stood in front of 
Robina’s chair. 

“ Did you mean,” she said, in a very low voice, “ to 
do what you said you would just now?” 

“Did I mean it?” replied Robina. “Yes; I meant 
it.” 

“ But Mr. Durrant is away,” continued Harriet. 

“ Yes.” 

“ You will see him in the morning, will you not — 
I mean as soon as he comes back ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Robina again. 

None of the others could hear this low-voiced con- 
versation, but Harriet went back to the center of the 
room with a satisfied expression. Ralph, who had been 
watching the two girls, now said in a tone of excite- 
ment : 

“ Has you found out what is wrong with Robin ? ” 

“ There is nothing whatever wrong with her : don’t 
be a goose, Ralph,” said Harriet. 

But Ralph’s longing brown eyes went straight to 

[259] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

the sorrowful girl seated by herself in the distant 
corner. His little child fancy returned to her in her 
trouble. Harriet, however, who felt now quite sure 
of her own position, was not going to permit Ralph to 
forsake her. She sat down in a chair and called him 
to her side. 

“ Who allowed you to sit up to supper ? ” 

“ Why, you, in course, Harriet.” 

“ Which of the school-mothers do you love best ? ” 

“ Harrie,” said Ralph, glancing again at Robina’s 
bowed head : “ I has said it so often.” 

“ All right, say it once more, or you go to bed.” 

“ I love you,” said the child. 

“ Put your arms tight around me, and kiss me, as 
you did round Robina just now.” 

“ No,” said Ralph. He put both his little hands to 
his sides, standing still very near Harriet, but not 
touching her. 

“ If you refuse, you go to bed.” 

“ All wight, Harriet,” replied the little chap. 

“ Then you won’t kiss me — you, who love me so 
dearly — you won’t kiss the Harriet who saved your 
life?” 

“ Oh — ’course I love you,” said Ralph, “ does you 
want me to kiss you like that? I only kiss when I — I 
— can’t help it. I am not a sort of kissing boy at all. 
I am like father — I think just a look is enough, and a 
sort of smile now and then, and a sort of feel — oh, 
you know it — down — deep, deep here. I doesn’t kiss 
father much; he doesn’t think it man-like for boys to 
kiss.” 

“ Kiss me the way you kissed Robina, and do it at 
once,” said Harriet, “ or you go to bed.” 

“ No,” said Ralph again. 

The other girls were scarcely listening, but this 
[260] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

little scene between the two was drawing general at- 
tention. Patience, in particular, guessed that there 
was some struggle going on between Harriet and 
Ralph, and although she pretended to talk to her com- 
panions, she could not help listening. 

“ Kiss me,” repeated Harriet, guessing that she was 
drawing the attention of the room, and getting excited 
in her determination to win the victory. “ Kiss me, 
or you go to bed ! ” 

“ No,” said Ralph again. Then he added, now put- 
ting his two hands behind him, “ I won’t ever kiss 
you, Harriet, because you threat me — that isn’t me at 
all. I wouldn’t be a man-like boy if I did things 
’cause o’ threats.” 

“Well,” said Harriet, who was terribly afraid of 
not scoring the victory in this encounter, and being 
forced therefore to change her tactics, “ kiss me be- 
cause twice I risked my life for you and because I 
want your kiss. Do you remember when you went 
down beneath the soft wave and when you came up 
again and I caught you and — and — saved you ? ” 

“ Yes, yes! ” said Ralph in a ferment of admiration. 
“Dear Harriet! His arms went tightly round her 
neck. He kissed her twice. “ And now I’s going to 
bed,” he said. 

“ What in the world do you mean by that, you little 
silly?” 

“ ’Cause you said I was to go to bed if I didn’t 
kiss you. I didn’t kiss you ’cause of your threat; I 
kissed you ’cause you ’minded me of the great 
thing you had done. But I is going to bed, all the 
same.” 

“ No, you sit up because I order it ; now don’t be 
a goose, and don’t paw me any more.” 

Harriet stood up, yawning as she did so. Ralph 
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THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


sunk on to the next chair. He felt very despondent, 
he knew not why. Again he could not help glancing 
at Robina and wishing that she would not keep on read- 
ing. He found himself watching her. What a long 
time she was before she turned a page. Ralph thought 
he would count the seconds. He knew the clock, and 
glanced at it. Five whole minutes passed. Still Ro- 
bina sat with her head of thick hair bent and without 
a page being turned. Ralph would have given worlds 
to say : “ Is that a very difficult book, Robina, and 
can’t you read it any quicker than I can read my 
‘Reading without Tears’ book?” But somehow or 
other, Harriet’s presence prevented his approaching 
Robina. 

The next minute, there came the welcome relief of 
hearing that supper was served, and all the girls 
trooped into the dining-room. 

Ralph had a high chair close to Harriet’s side ; who 
told him at once carelessly that he might eat anything 
he liked for supper, and then devoted herself to tell- 
ing amusing stories to two of the Amberleys and to 
Jane. But Ralph was not hungry. He was sleepy, 
and really wanted his bed. He was thinking very 
hard of his father. If only father were at home, 
things would be quite different. He would have said 
good-night long ago, and father would have come 
just before going downstairs, and would have kissed 
him, and would have said, “ Good-night Ralph, old 
boy, sleep well, and dream good dreams, and remem- 
ber to-morrow morning that you are some hours older 
than when you went to sleep, and ought to be some 
hours wiser.” And then father would go away, and 
Ralph would whisper to himself the old childish charm 
which his nurse had taught him — his nurse who died 
long ago, and which he had never forgotten: 

[262] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Matthew, Mark, Luke and John 
Bless the bed I lie on.” 

Four corners to my bed : Five angels be there spread. 

Two at my head : Two at my feet : one at my heart, my soul to 
keep, 

and then in a few minutes he would have been sound 
asleep. He nodded his head once or twice now, and 
finally upset a cup of chocolate which had been placed 
by his side. Some of the chocolate streamed over 
Harriet’s white dress. She did not possess many 
clothes, and was consequently exceedingly angry. 
She tried to keep in her anger as best she could, but 
showed it notwithstanding all her efforts, by the color 
in her cheeks and the way her pale blue eyes flashed. 

“ Oh Ralph, how careless and awkward you are ! 
Really, you must not do this sort of thing again.” 

“ I is seepy : I really want to go to bed,” said Ralph. 
“ I am awfu’ sorry, Harriet, and when you saved my 
life and all ! Oh, let me sop it up.” 

He took his own table-napkin and tried to repair 
the mischief, but Harriet pulled her dress roughly out 
of his hands and, telling the other girls that she must 
go away to wash- the stains out, left the room. 

“ Now, Ralph,” said Patience, when this had hap- 
pened ; “ if I were you I would go straight off to my 
by-by downy nest; you know you are just longing to 
be in it.” 

“ I is,” said Ralph, “ but I mustn’t go, must I, 
Robina?” 

He looked straight at Robina for guidance. 

“ I don’t know,” replied Robina, just glancing at 
him, and then looking away. 

“ But Robina, do tell him to go,” said Patience. “ If 
any two people at the present moment are supposed to 
have authority over Ralph, you and Harriet are those 

[263] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

individuals. Harriet has gone away to mop her dress, 
and Ralph looks quite white with fatigue.” 

“ I cannot interfere,” said Robina. 

“ Very well,” said Patience ; “ then I will : I am a 
school-mother too. This sort of thing has got to end. 
Come, Ralph, I shall take you to bed.” 

“ But won’t Harriet be — be — angry ? ” said the little 
fellow, his lips quivering. 

“ You leave the matter to me,” said Patience. She 
looked strong and determined. “ Your father would 
wish it,” she said; and at these words and at the cool 
feel of her hand, Ralph yielded to his own inclinations 
and left the room with her. 

When they got upstairs, however, he asked her once 
or twice rather piteously if she thought Harrie would 
mind. 

“ I will see that she doesn’t,” said Patience. “ You 
leave it to me, Ralph.” 

“ Oh but,” said Ralph, as he got into his little py- 
jamas, “ she has been so awfully brave, you know — 
saved my life, you know.” 

“ Yes, I know all that,” said Patience, “ and I know 
of course that you are very grateful to her; but I do 
wonder something, Ralph. 

“ What is that? ” asked the child. 

“ If you understand the difference between very 
grateful to a person and loving a person very dearly ? 99 

Ralph looked immensely puzzled. 

“ I mean this/’ said Patience, wondering at her 
own audacity. “ You say that Harriet saved your 
life.” 

“ Yes,” said Ralph, with great determination. “ Her 
did.” 

“ But before she saved your life, you didn’t care for 
her so very, very much, did you ? ” 

[264] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“ Not so awfully as all that,” said Ralph, consider- 
ing his words. 

“ But afterwards ? ” continued Patience. 

“ Couldn’t help it arterards,” said Ralph. “ Her 
did it twice, you know.” 

Patience did not know, but she was determined to 
treasure up the information given unwittingly by 
Ralph. 

“ Well,” she said after a minute’s pause, “ I un- 
derstand of course quite well that you are awfully 
obliged to her and all that, and that perhaps you do 
love her. But you don’t love her better than your 
father, do you ? ” 

“ Better nor father ? ” said Ralph. “ In course not ! ” 

“ But did he ever save your life ? ” 

“ No,” said Ralph ; “ but then he is father !’ 

** I see quite well, my wise little man,” said Patience, 
tucking him up and kissing him. “ Now Robina 
never saved your life: but you — you love her not- 
withstanding that ? ” 

“ Awful much ! ” said Ralph. 

“ I saw you kiss her to-night,” said Patience. 

“ Cause I love her so much,” said Ralph. 

“ Good-night now, Ralph. Sleep very sound.” 

“ Wait till I say my 4 Matthew, Mark,’ ” said 
Ralph. 

He closed his eyes, repeated the old song rapidly and, 
before the last words had come to an end, was asleep. 

Patience went downstairs. By this time Harriet 
had returned. She had been forced to remove the poor 
chocolate-stained white frock and to put on another, 
which did not make her look half so well dressed. 
She was still feeling cross and sore. As soon as she 
entered the room, her first exclamation was, “ Where 
is Ralph?” 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Gone to bed,” said Frederica Chetwold. 

“Gone to bed?” said Harriet. “Who has given 
Ralph leave to go to bed ? ” 

“ Patience took him to bed. You had better not in- 
terfere about it,” said Frederica : “ for if you do,” she 
continued, “ we’ll all tell Mr. Durrant in the morning. 
You are not school-mother yet, so don’t be over sure 
of things.” 

At that moment, Robina got up and left the room. 
Harriet sank down in a chair. She was trembling 
with suppressed passion. 

“ I wonder,” she said, after a pause, “ why you all 
dislike me as you do. Of course, she added, “ there 
can be but one explanation, and that is, jealousy.” 

“ Not at all,” said Patience. “ As a matter of fact, 
I don’t believe there is a girl amongst us who would 
change with you; for to change with you, Harriet 
Lane, would be to possess your nature, and that is 
what none of us wish for. But we are quite deter- 
mined to see justice done to Ralph.” 

“ Justice done to Ralph ? ” said Harriet. 

“ Yes : and to Robina. We know what has hap- 
pened to-night, for Robina told us.” 

“ Oh, she told you ! ” said Harriet. “ That is so like 
her.” 

“ Yes ; she said she was not going to compete. Now, 
she must have a reason for that, and Frederica and I 
and Rose and Cecil and Vivian are all absolutely re- 
solved to find out what that reason is. We have been 
invited to this house and have been given this happy 
time, because in a sort of way we also are Ralph’s 
school-mothers. You expect a great triumph in the 
morning, Harriet. Well all I can say is this: look 
out for storms.” 

“ It is that horrid, horrid Robina ! There is no spite- 

[266] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


ful thing she would not do against me,” said Harriet. 
“ But Ralph loves me best. I don’t pretend that I 
don’t want the post : I do want it. I haven’t a happy 
home like most of you: and to be Ralph’s school- 
mother, and to live here would be of great moment to 
me. It would mean all my future being assured. 
You can’t think what it would mean; for you don’t 
any of you know what it is to be — oh — poor ! ” 
Harriet’s face turned very pale. 

“ Ralph does love me, and why should not he ? 
and if Mr. Durrant is contented to choose me, and 

Robina doesn’t want to be school-mother ” 

“ Robina doesn’t want to be school-mother ! ” inter- 
rupted Patience. “You are either a goose or a liar, 
Harriet; for you know that in her heart of hearts, 
Robina is dying to be school-mother to little Ralph — 
and not for your horrid worldly reasons, but because 
she — she loves him ! Oh, we did think that you re- 
pented that time at school, but your conduct since you 
came here has puzzled us dreadfully.” 

Harriet, however, had now recovered herself. This 
attack on the part of her school-fellows was unex- 
pected, and at first she was almost thrown off her usual 
balance of mind. Her customary self-possession very 
nearly deserted her, but now she recovered it. 

“ After all,” she said, “ you may think what you 
please. By this time to-morrow I shall be established 
in my position, and I don’t think either Ralph or his 
father will regret it. As you, Patience, have taken 
it upon you to order Ralph to bed — a thing which I 
imagine you will never have the power to do again — 
I shall not disturb him to-night: but when I am his 
school-mother, he will do what I wish, please under- 
stand: he will have passed out of your life, Patience, 
and out of the lives of all the rest of you, and you 
[267] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

need not call yourselves by the ridiculous name of 
school-mothers any longer. You will be back to your 
horrid school life, and I wish you joy of it. I shall 
stay here, and be happy. I wish, however, to say one 
thing. I think it exceedingly shabby of Robina to 
give up the contest at the eleventh hour. It shows that 
notwithstanding your high opinion of her she is a 
coward at heart. She is so certain that she will be 
beaten, that she won’t wait to witness her own dis- 
comfiture. Ralph choose Robina, indeed ! There 
never was any chance of that.” 

“ No,” said Patience, “ and that brings us to an- 
other thing. Dear little Ralph told me that you saved 
his life ” 

“ Good gracious 1 ” said Harriet : “ didn’t you all 
see me do it ? ” 

“ Yes, but he said you saved his life twice. When 
was the first occasion ? ” 

Harriet bit her lips. 

“ Children exaggerate things,” she said after a 
pause. “ I did risk my own life for Ralph at Totland 
Bay, and the dear little man got confused.” 

“ I don’t think so,” said Patience ; “ he is never 
confused about things. Well, at any rate, Harriet, 
we should like you to explain that remark of Ralph’s 
to-morrow to Mr. Durrant before the great decision 
is finally come to.” 

“ Your likings or not likings, Patience Chetwold, 
will probably not be of the slightest consequence,” said 
Harriet, leaving the room as she spoke with her head 
in the air. 

The moment she had gone, the rest of the girls drew 
close together. 

“ Now listen,” said Patience. “ I have talked to that 
poor child. In his heart of hearts he doesn’t really 
[268] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


love Harriet. She would be a cruel and dreadful girl 
to leave him with. Didn’t you watch her to-night, and 
didn’t you see how she was forcing him to do some- 
thing, and how he was refusing, and how she was mak- 
ing him do it in the end? and didn’t you notice the 
way he hugged Robina ? Oh ! it’s Robina he loves in 
his heart of hearts: he doesn’t care for Harriet, but 
she has got the poor little darling into her power, and 
he is such a brave pet, and is so impressed by his sense 
of gratitude to her, he will do anything for her. Now, 
girls, we have a great deal to do between now and 
eleven o’clock to-morrow morning. We have to get 
our evidence together.” 

“ Oh what, Patience, what ? ” asked Rose : while the 
others clustered round her. 

“ Let me see,” said Patience. “ You, of course, 
Frederica, and you three Amberley girls will help me. 
There are five of us in all. Robina must not lose this 
chance : Harriet must not get the victory. The person 
to approach on the subject is Jane Bush.” 


[269]' 


CHAPTER XV 


ANXIOUS TIMES 

The other girls started when Patience delivered 
herself of this last remark. 

“ Jane Bush ? ” they said, looking at one another as 
though they thought Patience Chetwold — Patience, the 
most down-right, matter-of-fact, sensible girl on earth 
— had suddenly taken leave of her senses. “ What do 
you mean, Patience ? ” they said, almost in chorus. 
“ What can poor Jane have to do with it?” 

“ Anyone can see,” remarked Rose, “ that Jane is 
terribly afraid of Harriet, but she herself, poor little 
thing, has done nothing.” 

“ Yes, she has,” remarked Patience ; “ Jane has done 
a great deal more than any of the rest of you have the 
least idea of. And now, girls,” she added, “ I am go- 
ing to prove my words.” 

As Patience finished speaking, she abruptly left 
the room. She was only gone a few minutes, and 
when she came back, she was holding the unwilling 
hand of poor terrified looking Jane Bush. Jane had 
said good-night to Harriet, and had gone away to 
her own room. It so happened that the chamber in 
which she reposed was nowhere near Harriet’s, which, 
as Patience remarked, was a good thing on the present 
occasion ; and Harriet being certain that nothing could 
really happen further to damage her cause, had gone 
safely and comfortably to bed. Little did she guess 
that Jane, when in the very act of preparing for her 
' [270] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


own night’s rest, was forcibly conducted to be cross- 
questioned by five very determined school-mothers. 

As soon as Patience got into the room, she quite 
calmly locked the door. 

“ Now,” she said, looking at the others, “ we shall be 
quite undisturbed. Sit down, Jane,” she said ; “ you 
need not be frightened, you have only just to tell the 
truth, and we, between us, will look after you. There 
is no possible way of shirking the truth, Jane Bush; 
you may as well out with it, sooner or later. If you 
tell it without difficulty and at once, you will suffer 
less than if you struggled to keep it to yourself: you 
will be less miserable afterwards than you are now, 
for it is only to look at your face, Jane, to know that 
you are a thoroughly wretched girl. Well, here you 
are, quite outside Harriet’s influence for the time being, 
and here are we five of us, all full of suspicion with re- 
gard to you, and I think,” continued Patience, glancing 
at the rest of the girls, — “ that we have got quite as 
much brains as you, Jane Bush ; so five sets of brains 
against one set of brains must win the victory, mustn’t 
they? That’s common-sense, isn’t it, Jane? Now 
then; let us begin. Which amongst us girls will be- 
gin to question Jane first?” 

“ I don’t want any of you to talk to me ; I have 
nothing to say at all : I want to go back to my bed,” 
said Jane, who was so terribly frightened that she for- 
got all that remorse which troubled her, her only pres- 
ent desire being to fly from the presence of the dread- 
ful five girls who had entrapped her into their power. 

“ Come, come,” said Patience ; “ there’s no good in 
giving way : it will be all right if you only tell us the 
truth. Sit down in that chair and make yourself 
comfy. Now then, you poor little thing, we know 
quite well that you are the cat’s-paw, and that your 
[271] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

poor little paw is dreadfully burnt. But never mind, 
Janie, you will be out of all this misery if you will 
take the advice of girls who at least have a shadow 
of honor in their disposition/’ 

At these words, Jane stopped crying, raised her 
head, and looked with her round black eyes full into 
the faces of all five. It was true what they had said: 
they were honorable and she, if left to herself, would 
much rather not walk in deceit’s crooked ways. She 
gave a sigh deep from her heart. A memory stole over 
her of the little children who were really all her world 
— little Miriam, little Bobbie, they thought their own 
Jane perfect; but if they could look into her heart, 
would even such tiny children trust her? She shiv- 
ered, and sat very still. 

“ You had best do the questioning, Patience,” said 
Frederica; “ you have taken this matter in hand, and 
you had best pull it through.” 

“ Very well,” said Patience ; “ then I will make short 
work of it. It is this way, Jane. You know quite well 
that Harriet wants to be elected school-mother to 
Ralph. She wants to live here and to have all the 
advantages of the home Mr. Durrant means to offer to 
the girl who is elected to the post. You know that at 
least, don’t you ? ” 

Jane nodded her head. 

“ So far, so good,” said Patience. “ You will please 
note on a piece of paper, Frederica, that Jane Bush 
admits that Harriet is anxious to be Ralph’s school- 
mother.” 

Frederica, seeing that the proceedings were to take 
such an orderly course, immediately approached the 
center-table and wrote down Jane’s reply on a piece of 
paper. 

“ That is statement one,” continued Patience. 

[272] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ Now statement two is this : another girl equally 
wishes for the post, and that girl is Robina Starling. 
You admit that also, don't you, Jane?” 

“ Yes,” said Jane. 

“ Note it down, please, Frederica,” said Patience. 
“ Now, Jane,” continued Patience, “ we come to the 
really important part. For some extraordinary reason 
Robina, who is admirably suited to become Ralph's 
school-mother is likely — more than likely — to be 
worsted in this conflict by Harriet, who is not suitable 
at all. Now, there is not the slightest doubt in the 
minds of us five girls that there is foul play in this 
matter: yes, Jane, foul play. Is there foul play or 
is there not ? ” 

Jane grew scarlet and fidgetted in her chair. 

“ Is there foul play ? ” repeated Patience. 

“ I am not going to say,” remarked Jane. 

“ Note that down, please, Frederica,” said Patience. 

Frederica did so. 

“ Can you state now,” continued Patience, very sol- 
emnly, “ can you as a Christian child who has been bap- 
tised and has gone to church every Sunday and who 
hopes to be confirmed next year — can you state sol- 
emnly that to your certain knowledge there is no foul 
play in this matter? If, after careful consideration, 
you will tell us that, we shall be inclined to believe 
you. But pause a minute first,” continued Patience; 
“ we want you to consider very carefully what such a 
statement on your part means. It means that Harriet, 
who is unsuited in every respect to look after Ralph, 
will be elected as his school-mother, and it means, if 
you state a false thing, that you can never, never, as 
long as you live, be a truly happy girl again. Now, 
tell us the truth. We promise to believe you as far as 
we can. Yes or no, Jane? yes or no? ” 
r [273] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

“You frighten me,” said Jane. 

“ That is not the point. What do you mean to say? ” 

“ I — I can’t — ” Jane wriggled. 

“ Look up,” said Patience. “ You are not a coward 
by nature. Can you positively declare that there is 
no foul play ? ” 

“ I can’t,” said Jane then ; and at these words she 
subsided into her seat sobbing, not loudly, but in the 
most heart-broken and terrible manner, swaying from 
side to side, bemoaning her own lot, and then sud- 
denly springing up and confronting the five girls. 

“ Oh, you are cruel!” she said. “You persecute 
me ! You have not got a little Bobbie and a little 
Miriam waiting and wanting — waiting and wanting 
all you can get for them.” 

“ You poor child ! ” said Patience. Her tone 
changed. She went straight up to the culprit and put 
her arms round her neck. “ Come along here, Janie,” 
she said. “ You are a weak sort, but when all is 
said and done, you are not half bad. You have had the 
misfortune since you came to school to choose a friend 
who worked on your worst not your best feelings. 
Now, suppose Vivian and Rose and Cecil and Frederica 
and I take the place of Harriet Lane in your friend- 
ship ; don’t you think you will do fifty times better ? ” 

“ Oh, but you can’t be my friends,” said Jane, won- 
derfully comforted in spite of herself. “You can’t, 
for you don’t know me. You don’t know half nor 
quarter how bad I am, nor, — nor — what I have done 
nor how — how I was tempted, nor — nor — the half nor 
the quarter of what has happened.” 

“ Look here,” said Patience. “ I tell you what I 
personally know. I know this; that on the day when 
we all landed at Totland Bay, you were seen by me 
talking very earnestly with Harriet. I also saw you 

[274] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


run away from the rest of the party and meet Mr. 
Durrant, who was coming to join us in the little bay 
where we were all to bathe. I could not hear what 
you said to him ; but you said something, and he went 
back to the yacht instead of joining us. You also 
went back yourself : you did not appear again that 
day, and when we saw you afterwards you seemed to 
us to be a most miserable little girl. Now, what oc- 
curred between you and Mr. Durrant will have to be 
explained to-morrow morning when the great decision 
is come to; for we girls don’t mean Robina to have 
no innings in this matter. You need not tell us any- 
thing about it now, all we want you to do is to pro- 
claim the simple truth to-morrow morning. Of course 
there are other things, for doubtless you know the 
whole matter from beginning to end ; but if you tell 
what really occurred between you and Mr. Durrant 
that will probably save the situation and secure the 
post of Ralph’s school-mother for Robina.” 

“ But — Harriet — what will she think of me ? ” said 
Jane. 

“ What we five think of you seems more to the 
point,” said Patience. “Now look here, Janie; you 
are not going to lose your pluck. You think it very 
dreadful to betray Harriet, but let me tell you that it 
is fifty thousand times more dreadful to allow a wicked 
girl like Harriet to have the control and the guidance 
of a sweet, dear little boy like Ralph. We ask you for 
Ralph’s sake, therefore, to be brave in this matter, 
to confess your own sin, and to throw yourself — first 
on the mercy of God, who is always willing to forgive 
us when we repent, and next on the mercy of Mr. 
Durrant and your school-fellows. You have done ter- 
ribly wrong, of course we know that, but you are not 
the worst culprit. Harriet won’t confess; we have 
[ 275 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


tried her and she is obdurate ; you have therefore got 
to save the situation. And now, please, you will come 
and sleep in my room to-night, for I don’t want you 
to see Harriet again between now and eleven o’clock 
to-morrow morning.” 

“Oh dear! oh dear!” said Jane. “Oh, I am too 
miserable and too frightened ! ” 

“ I have one last thing to say,” said Patience. 
“ Would you like your own Bobbie to be under the 
care of Harriet Lane with no chance of getting away 
from her ? ” 

“ No, no ! a thousand times no ! ” cried Jane, her 
face turning white, and her words trembling on her 
lips, so great was her anxiety. 

“ Well, then ; if that is the case, you could not be so 
mean as to subject Ralph to her influence. But come 
along to bed ; you are tired, you poor little thing.” 

Patience hardly glanced at the other school-mothers 
but, taking Jane’s hand, went upstairs with her, and 
popped her into her own bed at once and presently 
lay down by her side, wondering what the morrow 
would bring forth, but feeling on the whole that 
the odds were marvelously once again in favor of 
Robina. 

Now Robina herself little guessed what her school- 
fellows were doing, for she slept the sleep of one 
who is tired out and who owns herself defeated. She 
slept heavily for several hours and when she awoke 
the sun was shining into the room. She sprang up in 
bed, and looked at her little watch, which proclaimed 
the hour of six. So the night had gone by, and the 
morning had come. Robina pressed her hand to her 
forehead. Her own future was quite clear to her ; but 
she was not exactly sorry for herself just then; she 
was thinking all the time of Ralph. Within her heart 
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THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


there had awakened a love, so passionate, so deep, so 
true, for that little brown-eyed, brown haired boy that 
her agony at leaving him was the one and sole thought 
within her. She had no time just then to spare for 
thoughts of personal loss: she was only thinking of 
Ralph. She could not betray Harriet: noblesse oblige 
forbade. She must go, and Ralph must suffer. But 
she felt that she could not endure to be present when 
Mr. Durrant made his decision. She would tell him 
in advance that she withdrew from the conflict. He 
would be home early that morning. 

Robina sprang out of bed and dressed. She ran 
downstairs. There was a servant up who told her that 
a carriage had been sent to meet Mr. Durrant at the 
railway station, and that he would, in all probability, 
be back at Sunshine Lodge a little before eight o’clock. 

“ Then I will go to meet him,” thought Robina. 
“ He must see me alone, for he must make arrange- 
ments to send me home to-day. I will just see him and 
tell him, and then there will be an end, as far as I am 
concerned. I will ask him to let me go by the very 
first train, so that I need not say good-bye to the other 
girls ; only I should like just to see Ralph once again.” 

Robina thought for a time. It was only a little 
after seven: she would have time: she ran softly up- 
stairs and swiftly down one of the long corridors 
until she reached Ralph’s room. Very, yery softly she 
unfastened the door, and very gently did she steal in. 
Without making a scrap of noise, she knelt down by 
the little white bed and looked with all her heart in 
her eyes at the boy as he lay asleep. She gazed on this 
beautiful little face as though she would impress it on 
her memory for evermore. Then, bending forward, she 
pressed a kiss, light as air, on the sleeper’s forehead, 
whispered ' Good-bye, Ralph ; God bless you always/ 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


and then she stole away. She had made her entrance 
into the room and her exit from it without in the 
least disturbing the little lad who was so happily en- 
joying himself in Slumberland. But the minute she 
had left, he began to dream of Robina, and when he 
awoke some little time afterwards, it was with her 
name on his lips. 

He rubbed his brown eyes and looked around him 
in a puzzled way and said aloud: 

“ I thought darling Robina had been turned into an 
angel and that she had come to kiss me, and help me 
to become an angel too.” 

As he uttered the words, there was Harriet in the 
room ; she had come to dress him ; although this was 
an office she need not have taken upon herself; but it 
was her object to be exceedingly petting to Ralph on 
this all-important occasion. 

“ What are you muttering to yourself? ” she said. 

“ I thought darling Robina was in the room, and 
that she was turned into an angel,” said Ralph. He 
looked in a puzzled way at Harriet. “ Will you ever 
be turned into an angel, Harriet?” he asked. 

“ I don’t know,” said Harriet. She spoke crossly. 
“ I have enough to do to keep myself a good girl down 
in this world, without worrying myself about angels,” 
she continued. 

“ Oh, yes 1 ” said Ralph, in a sad little whisper. 
“ Darling Robina.” 

“ Why do you talk of her like that ? ” said Harriet, 
rather frightened at his tone. “ It is me you love best, 
isn’t it? ” 

“ ’Course,” said Ralph, a little wearily ; “ only,” he 
added, “ I don’t see why I am to be saying it every 
minute. I love Robina too , — awful much ! ” 

After this speech, which was uttered with such 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

heart fervor that Harriet must have been a great fool 
if she did not guess the real state of Ralph’s heart, the 
progress of dressing became — to say the least of it — 
contrary. 

In the meantime, Robina herself had gone up the 
avenue to meet Mr. Durrant. 

He was just about to drive down to Sunshine 
Lodge when he met a pale girl with those remarkably 
steadfast and beautiful eyes which had always at- 
tracted him and which had always won his heart. She 
was waiting for him at the gates. 

“ Why, Robina ! ” he said. 

“ I want to speak to you, Mr. Durrant, please,” 
said Robina. 

Mr. Durrant immediately motioned to the coachman 
to stop and sprang out of the carriage. 

“ What is it, dear? ” he said. “ Is anything wrong? 
Will you get in and drive down to the house or — what 
shall we do ? ” 

“ I would rather talk to you before we get to the 
house. I want to see you alone,” said Robina. 

“ Very well*” said Mr. Durrant. He gave his serv- 
ant directions, and the carriage disappeared towards 
the stables. 

Mr. Durrant then took Robina’s hand. 

“ Now what is it, my dear child ? ” he said. “ You 
don’t look well, dear. Robina, what is wrong with 
you ? ” 

“ You know what is going to happen to-day, don’t 
you ? ” said Robina. 

“ Yes,” said Mr. Durrant. “ I have got to choose 
between you and Harriet. The decision will be forced 
to rest a good deal with Ralph, but ” 

“ Listen,” said Robina. “Please don’t say any 
more. I am awfully sorry, but I want you to believe 
[ 279 ] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


as long as you live, I want you always to believe that 
Robina Starling loves you and loves Ralph, and that 
I can never, never forget your kindness to me; but I 
cannot be Ralph's school-mother.” 

“ My dear child ! ” 

“ I can’t — I can’t give you any reason : I want you 
to let me go away. I have been unhappy about this, 
and there is nothing for me to do but — but to go away, 
and I want to go away to-day and not to see Ralph 
again, nor the other girls again until we meet at 
school. And please keep Bo-peep, because I don’t 
think I ought to have him ; and forget that you ever 
knew me, except just keep the one little bit of memory 
that, although I can’t explain anything, I love you and 
Ralph just awfully.” 

“ But Robina — this is the most extraordinary thing 
I ever heard of! You accepted the position of stand- 
ing on trial for this post. I have spoken to your 
parents ; I have practically made up my mind to elect 
you, unless Ralph himself by his conduct makes it 
impossible for me to do so. How can you, my 
dear Robina, give the thing up now, and without 
a reason of any sort? This is unfair to me; this is 
unjust to yourself; this is more than unjust to 
Ralph.” 

“ I have made up my mind,” said Robina. “ I may 
be right, or I may be wrong ; but I have made up my 
mind ; I am not going to compete. There is not only 
Harriet,” she continued ; “ there is Patience, and there 
is Frederica, and there are the three Amberleys — you 
have other girls to choose from, and I am going out 
of it. Please let me go home; I cannot be Ralph’s 
school-mother: I really, really cannot. 

Mr. Durrant looked now not only puzzled but an- 
noyed. 


[280] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ You disappoint me,” he said. “ I don’t understand 
you.” 

They had come at this moment to the margin of 
the round pond, and there were the water-lilies with 
all their cups of white and gold wide open, the sun 
shining on them, and there was the water itself glis- 
tening in the sunlight ; and there was the willow bough. 
Robina turned away with a sick heart. 

“ I mean you could not understand,” she said, “ and 
that is the worst thing of all; and I can’t explain, I 
can’t! Let me go back please, to-day: and as you 
cannot love me after this, forget me utterly.” 

“ It must be as you wish, of course,” said Mr. 
Durrant, very coldly. “ I will order a carriage, and 
see that an escort is provided to take you back to the 
Brown House. As to my disappointment, we won’t 
speak of it : what must be, must be.” 

He had held out his hand as he led her in the direc- 
tion of the pond. Now, he let that same hand go. 
They walked together to the house. Robina went up 
to her room, Mr. Durrant to his study. 

” I never was so puzzled in all my life,” thought 
the good man. “ Robina Starling, of all people l ” 


CHAPTER XVI 


JANE CONFESSES 

At eleven o’clock sharp, all the girls, with the ex- 
ception of Robina, were assembled in Mr. Durrant’s 
study. He had asked them to meet him there, and they 
had come. Ralph was also present. The absence of 
Robina was noticed. The thought of Robina was in 
every heart, and the words : “ Where is she ? Can she 
really have gone away? Has she really told Mr. Dur- 
rant ? ” were framing themselves on all lips. But the 
words were not uttered aloud, and the thoughts in the 
hearts were unspoken. 

Mr. Durrant looked very pale and grave. Amongst 
the girls who had entered the room was Jane Bush. 
But there was something extraordinary about Jane 
which Harriet — could she have time to think of any- 
thing at such a crucial moment except herself — must 
have remarked. In the first place Jane, who was never 
noticed at all by the older girls of the third form, was 
now practically in Patience Chetwold’s pocket. Fred- 
erica Chetwold was at her other side, and behind her 
were the three Amberleys. Jane’s face was terribly 
disfigured by crying, and she looked altogether a most 
woe-begone little spectacle. 

Ralph was standing by his father’s side. He wore 
that very pretty little brown velveteen suit which made 
him look something between the prettiest of all 
brownies and the most beautiful of all boys. His 
eager, loving eyes traveled from one face to an- 
[282] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


other. They fixed themselves for a minute on Jane 
with that world of sorrow in them which such eyes as 
his will always show when their sympathy is fully 
roused. For Ralph belonged to those heroes who take 
the sorrows of the world on their shoulders, and live 
for others, not for themselves. But on this occasion, 
even little Ralph was absorbed with the thought of 
what was to happen in the future ; and then, he was 
missing Robina : he was finding out at each moment 
that it was Robina he really loved. Was she not his 
dream mother? and was not a dream mother greater 
even than a school-mother? and had she not seemed 
like an angel to him when he lay in slumber-land that 
morning, and when she had somehow or other kissed 
him, not only on his forehead, but on his heart of 
hearts? He fidgetted, therefore, and looked discon- 
solate. Mr. Durrant, on the contrary, was pale and 
cold and determined. 

“ Girls/’ he said, “ an extraordinary thing has hap- 
pened, and I wish to announce it before I proceed to 
the little business which forms the subject of this 
meeting. Robina Starling, by her own express wish, 
has withdrawn from the contest between herself and 
Harriet Lane and the rest of you. She declines to be- 
come my little son’s school-mother, and she wants to 
go home at once, and she will go in about half an hour. 
She would, in fact, have left the house before now, 
but there was no convenient train. As, by her own ex- 
press intention, she is not present on this occasion, and 
as she has already said good-bye to me and does not 
wish to see anything of you, and as I have made all 
arrangements with regard to a proper escort to convey 
her safely to her home, we can dismiss Robina from 
our minds.” 

“ But we can’t,” said Ralph, turning very white and 

[283] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


facing his father and looking at him with his brown 
eyes full of intense sorrow. 

“ But we can, and must, my boy,” said the man. 
“ There are times in life, and the sooner you learn the 
lesson the better, Ralph, — when we can and must do 
most disagreeable things. It is, I am sure, painful to 
you to give Robina up. I do not profess to understand 
her. I liked her well, but she has gone out of our 
lives: we must therefore proceed to the business in 
hand. Ralph ! tears ? Are those manly ? ” 

“ I will be a man-like boy,” said Ralph. He shook 
his little head and turned away from the gaze of the 
rest of the school-mothers, and then all of a sudden a 
sob, just like the one which he was strangling in his 
own throat, was heard distinctly to proceed from 
someone else. 

He turned abruptly, and there was Jane Bush, cry- 
ing very hard. It could not be wrong even for a man- 
like boy to comfort someone in distress. So without 
waiting for his father’s permission, he flew to Jane 
and put his arms round her neck and kissed her many 
times, and said : 

“ Don’t, don’t be unhappy ! I will love you if you 
will try not to be unhappy ! ” 

Now there was something exceedingly like Bobbie 
in the way Ralph kissed Jane, and Jane, to relieve her 
feelings, gave one sob louder than the rest and turned 
quickly to Patience Chetwold and said : 

“ I will do everything you wish.” 

Mr. Durrant was greatly amazed at this little scene, 
and Harriet, who was standing alone — for not one of 
the others wished to have anything to do with her — • 
was a good deal puzzled and disturbed, and made up 
her mind to give it very soundly to Jane later on for 
her ridiculous conduct. Mr. Durrant paused for a 
[284] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


minute at the unexpected interruption caused by 
Ralph. Then he said, still in that cold, stern voice : 

“ Come back immediately, and stand by my side, 
Ralph. Robina Starling, being out of the question, 
you have got to choose another school-mother. Whom 
do you love best in this room? Think well, my boy, 
and don’t allow false ideas even of bravery and of 
unselfishness to blind your eyes to those still nobler 
qualities of truth and integrity. A few days ago, the 
contest seemed to me to rest entirely between Harriet 
Lane and Robina Starling. But now that Robina has 
withdrawn, you are at liberty to choose any girl here 
present. Make your choice freely, my son; choose 
without fear or compunction, the one who in all re- 
spects will help you to be good, to be true, to be hon- 
orable.” 

“ She saved my life twice,” murmured Ralph under 
his breath, and then he looked full at Harriet and came 
a step forward. “ I don’t quite underland, father,” 
he said, “ all that you said about being very true, and 
very, very good. But I do know when a girl nearly 
gets drownded herself to save a boy like me; and 
I therefore choose ” again he went a step for- 

ward. 

But just at that moment there came an interruption. 
It came from Patience Chetwold. 

“ Before Ralph makes his choice, Mr. Durrant, I 
think that Jane Bush has something to tell you.” 

“Jane Bush!” exclaimed Harriet, too amazed at 
this interruption, just when she was about to reach the 
pinnacle of all her hopes, to keep silent. 

“ Never mind,” said Ralph, hotly, “ I choose Har- 
riet. There was a look of disappointment in Harriet’s 
eyes which fired his very soul. “ I think, after all — 
P’raps I love Robina ; but I love Harriet next best— 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


far next best; and she did save me, and I choose her. 
Yes, Harriet — I choose you.” 

“ Nevertheless,” said Patience, in a very steadfast 
voice, “ It is absolutely necessary before Mr. Durrant 
confirms your choice, Ralph, that he should hear some- 
thing Jane Bush has to say. The fact is this, sir,” 
continued Patience. “ Frederica and I and the three 
Amberleys have not felt at all satisfied for some weeks 
past at the conduct of Harriet Lane and Robina 
Starling. We have felt quite absolutely sure, sir, that 
there was something going on behind the scenes. We 
were more certain than ever of that when Robina, who 
loves Ralph so truly, gave up the contest with Harriet 
last evening.” 

“Oh,” said Mr. Durrant; “she told you last even- 
ing, did she ? ” 

“ She did, sir,” said Patience. “ She came to us 
when we were walking in the grounds, and told us 
what her decision was. Afterwards she went and told 
Harriet.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Mr. Durrant. He looked at Harriet, 
whose face was very white, except where patches of 
angry color starred each cheek “ I thought we had 
done with Robina,” he said, “ but still ” 

“ No, we haven’t done with her,” said Patience ; 
“ that is just the point. Now Jane, tell what you have 
got to tell, and don’t be frightened.” 

“ It was my fault from the beginning,” began Jane. 

“ Come, speak out, Jane,” said Patience, “ and don’t 
sob any more.” 

“ You had better not say anything,” interrupted 
Plarriet. “ How dare you talk and force yourself on 
Mr. Durrant’s notice? you horrid little sneak!” 

“ Those are not at all pretty words, Harriet,” said 
Mr. Durrant ; “ and they absolutely force me to 
[286] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


listen to whatever Jane Bush may have to say. What 
is it, Jane? Speak.” 

“ Well, sir ; it was this,” said Jane. “ It was this. 
Harriet didn’t expect any telegram to be waiting for 
her on board the * Sea-Gull/ ” 

“What?” said Mr. Durrant. 

“ No, sir : but she told me to go to you and to tell 
you that there might be one ; and it was I that thought 
of it, sir. I thought of a plan for Harriet to prove to 
you and to all the world that she was very brave 
and could save Ralph’s life. She asked me if I could 
think of a plan, and I thought of that. And you told 
me to tell the girls not to bathe ; and I only told Har- 
riet, and she would not tell the others; she wanted to 
prove to you, sir, that she was brave and could save 
Ralph’s life, and — and — I could not bear it any longer, 
and — and — I went back to the yacht ; and oh — oh — she 
was to give me five pounds, and I don’t want it now 
— and I am the most awfully miserable girl in all the 
wide world ! ” 

This story, which came from Jane with bursts of 
tears and unutterable sobs, at first sounded like mere 
confusion ; but Mr. Durrant, who had got a very or- 
derly — indeed, almost lawyer-like mind, — soon put the 
broken and jagged edges of this queer narrative to- 
gether ; and by slow degrees and careful investigation, 
the whole naked truth came out. And as is the way 
with such truths, a great deal more came out than 
Jane had at first intended to reveal; for the whole in- 
cident of the pond, and the willow tree, and Ralph’s 
fall into the pond, and Harriet’s apparently noble 
conduct in trying to save him, came also to the fore; 
and the fact that poor Robina had overheard some of 
Harriet’s and Jane’s plottings and plannings was also 
brought to the light of day ; so that a very, very ugly 

[287] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

story was revealed to the astonished ears of the good 
man who thought that he was providing so very well 
for his little son. 

Quite early, however, in the narrative, he did a 
somewhat queer thing. He took Ralph by the hand, 
and led him to the door. 

“ You need not listen to any more of this/’ he said. 
“ You will find Robina somewhere in the house ; go to 
her.” 

The amazed little boy found himself in the hall, shut 
away from all the school-mothers — from Harriet, who 
looked so terrible, and who had done such queer things 
that he certainly could not love her any longer; from 
Jane Bush, who seemed nearly as bad, and yet whom 
he, in his childish and affectionate way, pitied; and 
from Patience and the others, who were quite nice, 
but who had only, somehow or other, seen the outside 
of his heart. But there was Robina, and she had not 
gone. He would find her. 

He went slowly up the wide stairs, and when he 
found himself on the first landing, he looked round 
him. There one of the housemaids saw him. Of 
course she loved him : every woman in the house loved 
Ralph. 

“ What is it, little master ? ” she said, wondering at 
his pale cheeks and at the anxious expression in his 
eyes. 

“ I want Robina,” he said. 

“ She is shut up in her own room, little master.” 

Off trotted Ralph, and knocked at the door. 

“ Robina, Robin ; let me in ! ” he said. 

There was silence at first in answer to his imperative 
summons. Then there came a broken-down voice from 
within. 

“ I can’t, Ralph : go away, please.” 

[288] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


“ But why won’t you ? I must get in,” said Ralph. 

Robina now made no answer of any sort, and Ralph, 
after waiting outside the door for a few minutes, very 
disconsolately retreated and went into the garden. 

Now the whole of the side of the house where Ro- 
bina’s room was situated was covered with an old 
magnolia tree, and this magnolia had a very thick 
trunk — quite thick enough and firm enough to hold 
the weight of a little boy, and as Ralph had no fear, 
and was an excellent climber — in fact, this small per- 
son could climb like a monkey — he soon scaled the 
magnolia, and appeared outside Robina’s window ; and 
as the window happened to be wide open — for she 
certainly did not expect a visitor by that entrance — 
a little brown boy with brown eyes looked in at her 
from the enclosure made by the magnolia, and the 
next minute, he was inside the room, and pressed to 
Robina’s heart. 

“ I love you much — much best of all ! ” he said ; 
“ and father has sent me to you, and — and — I don’t 
know anything — but there’s an awful fuss downstairs, 
and Jane Bush is crying, and Harriet is looking aw- 
fully angry — and — I don’t underland half nor quarter 
what it’s all about. But I love you best ; and I choose 
you ; for I know that I can be good with you — and oh ! 
love me, love me a little, for I love you so much ! ” 


s 


[289] 


CHAPTER XVII 


VIRTUE REWARDED 

When Mr. Durrant had at last got quite clearly at 
the truth of things, and when Harriet, brought to bay, 
at first struggled to deny, but at last was forced to 
confess the truth of Jane’s statements, his manner be- 
came very decided and summary. 

“ Jane,” he said ; “ I have nothing to do with you 
except to thank you. I leave you your own con- 
science to punish you for what you did. You were 
guilty of the great sin of moral weakness. You 
yielded to the wishes of a companion who was 
stronger than yourself : but at the eleventh hour you 
have saved the situation for me, and whoever else 
punishes you, Jane Bush, I am not the one. I believe, 
too, in the law of kindness, and I fully believe in that 
everlasting law of God’s forgiveness. I trust, Jane, 
that this will prove a lesson to you, and that you will 
turn over a new leaf ; and if, in the future, I can help 
you, I will: and I know your kind school-fellows will 
not forsake you. Patience Chetwold, my dear, you 
have earned my undying gratitude. By your prompt- 
ness and decision and cleverness and bravery you have 
saved my dear little son from the greatest catastrophe 
which could ever have occurred to him. Now, as to 
you, Harriet Lane — but I would rather speak to you 
not in the presence of your companions.” 

At these words, all the other school-mothers went 
out of the room, Jane still completely surrounded by a 

[290] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 

phalanx of her companions. When the door was shut 
behind them and Mr. Durrant and Harriet were alone, 
he turned to her. 

“ Some day, you will understand what you have 
done,” he said. 

“ I understand now,” said Harriet. “ It is all up,” 
she added. “ I wouldn’t have been such a bad school- 
mother as you think. There was nothing heroic or 
noble about me; but I wanted the post very badly; 
you should not have tempted me, Mr. Durrant, by 
offering it. You began by offering a pony, which we 
all wanted very badly ; and I did wrong to try to se- 
cure that. I failed, and I was sorry; and Robina won 
it. Then you offered something much more important 
than a pony. My feelings of jealousy towards Robina 
returned, and I thought I would try hard to become 
school-mother to Ralph ; for we are poor at home, and 
I am not very happy, and you offered things which 
would have made my success in life ” 

“ You don’t suppose for a single moment that the 
path you choose to walk in could have conduced to 
success — real success in life, Harriet Lane ? ” said 
Mr. Durrant. “ Did ever deceit really prosper? I 
tell you what it is, Harriet,” he said, changing his 
tone now and going up to the girl and taking her hand, 
“ that you ought to be down on your knees thanking 
Providence that at that terrible moment which you 
so cleverly and wickedly planned in order to show off 
your own bravery, little Ralph was not drowned. Had 
that sailor not unexpectedly come to the rescue,^ Ralph 
could certainly never have reached the shore, and it is 
even doubtful whether you could have done so your- 
self. You played with edged tools, my child, and you 
may be thankful you were not more severely pun- 
ished/ 1 


[291] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


There was no answer from Harriet, whose eyes 
were fixed on the ground. 

“ You may be thankful, too/' continued Mr. Durrant, 
“ for the painful events of this day. Had things not 
turned out as they have, you might have got the post 
you so coveted, and where it would have ended — God 
only knows ! Do not interrupt me by speaking : I have 
always known your character, although I did not 
dare, even to myself, say what I feared about it. You 
would not have been, even in the most ordinary sense, 
a good school-mother to Ralph: you would not even 
have been kind to him, for you never really loved him. 
You would both have been miserable; you, who only 
saw your own aggrandizement, would not have taken 
any trouble for my little son, and as you have no idea 
at present of truth and honor, you would but have 
stepped deeper into the mire. Be thankful that you 
have not gone further, and that you have been pulled 
up in your wicked ways in time. It is not my place to 
say anything to Mrs. Burton, or you would be expelled 
from the school. With regard to your school life, I 
have nothing to say, and you will in all probability 
return to Abbeyfield at the end of the holidays. Make 
the best of your chance, and pray to God to soften your 
heart. 

“ As to poor little Jane, your victim, I myself shall 
take steps to have her removed to another school. 
She must not be subject to the chance of your cruelty 
after her confession of to-day. You can leave me, 
now, Harriet. I commit you to God’s mercy, and trust 
that you may repent of your evil ways. The carriage 
which was to convey Robina Starling to the railway 
station will take you there, and the escort which was to 
conduct her home will take you instead to your home. 
Good-bye. I cannot shake hands with you: neverthe- 
[292] 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


less, I earnestly pray and hope that you will repent in 
the best sense of the word.” 

Harriet left the room with her head bowed down. 
Mr. Durrant waited until she had gone. Then he 
rang the bell. A servant appeared. 

“ Tell Mrs. Martin that she is to take Miss Harriet 
Lane instead of Miss Robina Starling,” was his order. 
“ Tell her to see that a comfortable luncheon basket is 
packed and on no account to lose the next train.” 

Accordingly, a few minutes later it was Harriet Lane 
and not Robina Starling who left Sunshine Lodge. 
The three Amberley girls and the two Chetwolds 
watched her as she departed. They were standing in a 
cluster in a bay window and holding each other’s hands 
tightly and feeling — not at all triumphant, but very, 
very sad ; and Jane Bush was crying in a corner with 
her head buried in a cushion. 

Just then, Mr. Durrant entered the room. 

“ Cheer up, girls ; cheer up ! ” he said. “ A mar- 
velous and very wonderful thing has happened to-day. 
Harriet Lane has left us, and we cannot regret it. I 
have written a line to her father who will receive her, 
I believe, not unkindly. You girls, who will meet her 
at the school, will, I am certain, do your utmost to 
help her to retrieve the past. As far as Ralph and I 
are concerned, she has gone as completely out of our 
lives as dear Robina wanted to go when I met her to- 
day before breakfast. 

“ Now, Jane Bush ; I mean to take you in hand. 
You are not a good child by any means, but I think 
you have the making of one, and I know a school 
where you can be well and happily educated; and I 
mean to make enquiries about your little brother and 
sister and, — who knows? but Miriam may be allowed 
to join you later on at the same school. Anyhow, it is 


THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MOTHERS 


best for you and Harriet not to be together at present. 
And now please, all the rest of you, come back imme- 
diately to the study, for the election of the school- 
mother has not yet taken place.” 

They all followed Mr. Durrant back again to the 
same room. The windows were wide open, and the 
delicious autumn air, all fragrant with flowers and 
sunshine, was coming in, and there, standing close to- 
gether, his arm around her waist, his hand clasping 
hers, was that small boy, who seemed to divide the 
attributes of a fairy boy and a human boy in all 
his ways and thoughts and doings. And there was 
Robina, the color in her cheeks, and the light in her 
eyes. 

“ Ralph’s school-mother. Congratulate her and 
Ralph,” said Mr. Durrant. 

“ Oh ! how glad I am ! ” said Patience. 

" And how glad we all are ! ” cried the others, even 
Jane Bush joining in the chorus. 

So Robina was surrounded by her companions ; and 
so the clouds rolled away and the sun came truly out 
once more at Sunshine Lodge. 


[294] 


THE CREAM OF JUVENILE FICTION 


I™ BOYS' OWN 




A Selection of the Best Books for Boys by the 
Most Popular Authors 


^PHE titles in this splendid juvenile series have been selected 
with care, and as a result all the stories can be relied 
upon for their excellence. They are bright and sparkling; not 
over-burdened with lengthy descriptions, but brimful of adven- 
ture from the first page to the last — in fact they are just the 
kind of yams that appeal strongly to the healthy boy who is 
fond of thrilling exploits and deeds of heroism. Among the 
authors whose names are included in the Boys’ Own Library 
are Horatio Alger, Jr., Edward S. Ellis, James Otis, Capt. Ralph 
Bonehill, Burt L. Standish, Gilbert Patten and Frank H. Con- 


verse. 


SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE 
BOYS' OWN LIBRARY .»* j* 


All the books in this series are copyrighted, printed on good 
paper, large type, illustrated, printed wrappers, handsome cloth 
covers stamped in inks and gold — fifteen special cover designs. 

H 6 Titles— Price, per Volume, 75 cents 

For sale by all booksellers, or sent, postpaid, on receipt of price 
by the publisher, 


DAVID McKAY, 

610 SO. WASHINGTON SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 

(i) 


HORATIO ALGER, Jr. 

One of the best known and most popular writers. Good, clean, 
healthy stories for the American Boy. 


Adventures of a Telegraph Boy 

Dean Dunham 

Erie Train Boy, The 

Five Hundred Dollar Cheek 

From Canal Boy to President 

From Farm Boy to Senator 

Backwoods Boy, The 


Mark Stanton 
Ned Newton 
New York Boy 
Tom Brace 
Tom Tracy 
Walter Griffith 
Young Acrobat 


C. B. ASHLEY. 

One of the best stories ever written on hunting, trapping and ad- 
venture in the West, after the Custer Massacre. 

Gilbert, the Boy Trapper 


ANNIE ASHMORE. 

A splendid story, recording the adventures of a boy with smugglers. 
Smuggler’s Cave, The 


CAPT. RALPH BONEHILL. 


Capt. Bonehill is in the very front rank as an author of boys’ 
stories. These are two of his best works. 

Neka, the Boy Conjurer Tour of the Zero Club 


WALTER F. BRUNS. 

An excellent story of adventure in the celebrated Sunk Lands of 
Missouri and Kansas. 

In the Sunk Lands 


FRANK H. CONVERSE. 


This writer has established a splendid reputation as a boys’ author, 
and although his books usually command $1.25 per volume, we offer 
the following at a more popular price. 


Gold of Flat Top Mountain 
Happy-Go-Lucky J ack 
Heir to a Million 
In Search of An Unknown Bace 


In Southern Seas 
Mystery of a Diamond 
That Treasure 
Voyage to the Gold Coast 


DAVID McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia. 

(ii) 


HARRY COUINGWOOD. 


One of England’s 
best story is 


most successful writers of stories for boys. 
Pirate Island 


Hifl 


GEORGE H. COOMER. 

Two books we highly recommend. One is a splendid story of ad- 
venture at sea, when American ships were in every port in the world, 
and the other tells of adventures while the first railway in the Andes 
Mountains was being built. 

Boys in the Forecastle Old Man of the Mountain 


WILLIAM DALTON. 

Three stories by one of the very greatest writers for boys. The 
stories deal with boys’ adventures in India, China and Abyssinia. 
These books are strongly recommended for boys’ reading, as they con- 
tain a large amount of historical information. 

Tiger Prince War Tiger 

White Elephant 

EDWARD S. ELLIS. 

These books are considered the best works this well-known writer 
ever produced. No better reading for bright young Americans. 

Arthur Helmuth Perils of the Jungle 

Check No. 2134 On the Trail of Geronimo 

From Tent to White House White Mustang 


GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. 

For the past fifty years Mr. Fenn has been writing books for boys 
and popular fiction. His books are justly popular throughout the 
English-speaking world. We publish the following select list of his 
boys’ books, which we consider the best he ever wrote. 

Commodore Junk Golden Magnet 

Dingo Boys Grand Chaco 

Weathercock 


ENSIGN CLARKE FITCH, F. S. N. 

A graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and tho- 
roughly familiar with all naval matters. Mr. Fitch has devoted him- 
self to literature, and has written a series of books for boys that every 


DAVID McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia, 

(id) 


young American should read. His stories are full of very interesting 
information about the navy, training ships, etc. 

Bound for Annapolis Cruise of the Training Ship 

Clif, the Naval Cadet From Port to Port 

Strange Cruise, A 


WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDON. 


An author of world- wide popularity, Mr. Graydon is essentially a 
friend of young people, and we offer herewith ten of his best works, 
wherein he relates a great diversity of interesting adventures in various 
parts of the world, combined with accurate historical data. 


Butcher of Cawnpore, The 
Camp in the Snow, The 
Campaigning with Braddock 
Cryptogram, The 


In Barracks and Wigwam 
In Fort and Prison 
Jungles and Traitors 
Bajah’s Fortress, The 


From Bake to Wilderness 


White King of Africa, The 


LIEUT. FREDERICK GARRISON, II. S. A. 

Every American boy takes a keen interest in the affairs of West 
Point. No more capable writer on this popular subject could be found 
than Lieut. Garrison, who vividly describes the life, adventures and 
unique incidents that have occurred in that great institution — in these 
famous West Point .A’ies. 

Off for West Point On Guard 

Cadet’s Honor, A West Point Treasure, The 

West Point Bivals, The 


HEADON HILL* 

The hunt for gold has always been a popular subject for considera- 
tion, and Mr. Hill has added a splendid story on the subject in this 
romance of the Klondyke. 

Spectre Gold 


HENRY HARRISON LEWIS. 

Mr. Lewis is a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and 
has written a great many books for boys. Among his best works are 
the following titles — the subjects include a vast series of adventures 
in all parts of the world. The historical data is correct, and they 
should be read by all boys, for the excellent information they contain. 

Centreboard Jim Ensign Merrill 

King of the Island Sword and Pen 

Midshipman Merrill Valley of Mystery, The 

Yankee Boys in Japan 


HAYED McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia, 

(iv) 


UEUT. LIONEL LOUNSBERRY. 


A series of books embracing many adventures under our famous 
naval commanders, and with our army during the War of 1812 and 
the Civil A\ ar. Founded on sound history, these books are written 
for boys, with the idea of combining pleasure with profit ; to cutivate 
a fondness for study — especially of what has been accomplished by 
our army and navy. 


Cadet Kit Carey 

Captain Carey 

Kit Carey’s Protege 

Lieut. Carey’s Luck 

Out With Commodore Decatur 


Randy, the Pilot 
Tom Truxton’s School Days 
Tom Truxton’s Ocean Trip 
Treasure of the Golden Crater 
Won at West Point 


BROOKS MCCORMICK, 

Four splendid books of adventure on sea and land, by this well- 
known writer for boys. 

Giant Islanders, The Nature’s Young Nobleman 

How He Won Rival Battalions 


WALTER MORRIS. 

This charming story contains thirty-two chapters of just the sort of 
school life that charms the boy readers. 

Bob Porter at Lakeview Academy 


STANLEY NORRIS* 

Mr. Norris is without a rival as a writer of “Circus Stories” for 
boys. These four books are full of thrilling adventures, but good, 
wholsome reading for young Americans. 

Phil, the Showman Young Showman’s Pluck, The 

Young Showman’s Rivals, The Young Showman’s Triumph 


LIEUT. JAMES K. ORTON. 

When a boy has read one of Lieut. Orton’s books, it requires no 
urging to induce him to read the others. Not a dull page in any of 
them. 

Beach Boy Joe Secret Chart » 

Last Chance Mine Tom Havens with the White 

Squadron 


DAVID McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia, 

(T) 


JAMES OTIS. 


Mr. Otia is known by nearly every American boy, and needs no in- 
troduction here. The following copyrights are among his best : 


Chased Through Norway Unprovoked Mutiny 

Inland Waterways Wheeling for Fortune 

Beuben Green’s Adventures at Yale 


GILBERT PATTEN. 

Mr. Patten has had the distinction of having his books adopted by 
the U. S. Government for all naval libraries on board our war ships. 
While aiming to avoid the extravagant and sensational, the stories 
contain enough thrilling incidents to please the lad who loves action 
and adventure. In the Rockspur stories the description of their Base- 
ball and Football Games and other contests with rival clubs and teams 
make very exciting and absorbing reading ; and few boys with warm 
blood in their veins, having once begun the perusal of one of these 
books, will willingly lay it down till it is finished. 


Boy Boomers 
Boy Cattle King 
Boy from the West 
Don Kirke’s Mine 


Jud and Joe 
Rockspur Nine, The 
Bockspur Eleven, The 
Rockspur Rivals, The 


ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE. 


Mr. Rath borne’s stories for boys have the peculiar charm of 
dealing with localities and conditions with which he is thoroughly 
familiar. The scenes of these excellent stories are along the Florida 
coast and on the western prairies. 


Canoe and Camp Fire 
Paddling Under Palmettos 
Rival Canoe Boys 
Sunset Ranch 


Chums of the Prairie 
Young Range Riders 
Gulf Cruisers 
Shifting Winds 


ARTHUR SEWELL. 

An American story by an American author. It relates how a 
Yankee boy overcame many obstacles in school and out. Thoroughly 
interesting from start to finish. 

Gay Dashleigh’s Academy Days 


DAVID McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia, 

(vi) 


CAPT. DAVID SOUTHWICK. 

An exceptionally good story of frontier life among the Indians in 
the far West, during the early settlement period. 

Jack Wheeler 


The Famous Frank Merriwell Stories. 


BURT L. STANDISH. 


No modem series of tales for boys and youths has met with any- 
thing like the cordial reception and popularity accorded to the Frank 
Merriwell Stories. There must be a reason for this and there is. 
Frank Merriwell, as portrayed by the author, is a jolly whole-souled, 
honest, courageous American lad, who appeals to the hearts of the 
hoys. He has no bad habits, and his manliness inculcates the idea 
that it is not necessary for a boy to indulge in petty vices to be a hero. 
Frank Merriwell’ s example is a shining light for every ambitious lad 
to follow. Six volumes now ready : 


Frank Merriwell’s School Days 
Frank Merriwell’s Chums 
Frank Merriwell’s Foes 
Frank Merriwell’s Trip West 
Frank Merriwell Down South 


Frank Merriwell’s Bravery 
Frank Merriwell’s Hunting Tour 
Frank Merriwell’s Baces 
Frank Merriwell’s Sports Afield 
Frank Merriwell at Yale 


VICTOR ST. CLAIR. 


These books are full of good, clean adventure, thrilling enough to 
please the full-blooded wide-awake boy, yet containing nothing to 
which there can be any objection from those who are careful as to the 
kind of books they put into the hands of the young. 


Cast Away in the Jungle From Switch to Lever 

Comrades Under Castro Little Bnap, the Post Boy 

For Home and Honor Zig-Zag, the Boy Conjurer 

Zip, the Acrobat 


MATTHEW WHITE, JR* 

Good, healthy, strong books for the American lad. No more in- 
teresting books for the young appear on our lists. 

Adventures of a Young Athlete My Mysterious Fortune 

Eric Dane Tour of a Private Car 

Gay Hammersley Young Editor, The 


ARTHUR M. WINFIELD. 


One of the most popular authors of boys’ books. Here are three 
of his best. 

Mark Dale’s Stage Venture Young Bank Clerk, The 

Young Bridge Tender, The 


DAVIH McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia. 

(vii; 


GAYLE WINTERTON. 

This very interesting story relates the trials and triumphs of a 
Young American Actor, including the solution of a very puzzling 
mystery. 

Young Actor, The 


ERNEST A. YOUNG. 

This book is not a treatise on sports, as the title would indicate, but 
relates a series of thrilling adventures among boy campers in the 
woods of Maine. 

Boats, Bats and Bicycles 


DAVID McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia. 




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